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Those sweet shellfish may be tempting, but eating oysters in Florida has been dangerous this year. Oysters have sickened people in the Sunshine State with three different types of illnesses, at least one of them deadly. Federal officials issued a warning recently for raw oysters harvested in Galveston Bay, Texas, and sold in Florida, along with seven other states. The oysters were potentially contaminated with norovirus and sold to restaurants and retailers. About 211 people were infected by the oysters and had diarrhea, vomiting and stomach pain within 12 to 48 hours after eating them. Publix Supermarkets said it sold...

A former Sri Lankan fisheries minister chomped on a raw fish at a Tuesday press conference as seafood sales in the nation have plummeted over coronavirus concerns. “I am making an appeal to the people of this country to eat this fish. Don’t be afraid. You will not get infected by the coronavirus,” Dilip Wedaarachchi said before biting into the fish. Last month, the Central Fish Market outside the nation’s capital, Colombo, was the site of a major coronavirus outbreak that led to thousands of countywide infections.

Raw fish is sizzling hot right now. Los Angeles has brand new bars devoted to an Italian style of raw fish, called crudo. President Obama kicked off his visit to Asia last month noshing nigiri at Jiro's famous sushi bar. And back in December, The New York Times named Sushi Nakawaza as its top restaurant of the year. But why do so many of us find utter bliss in eating raw sea creatures but aren't so inclined to chow down on uncooked birds, cows or pigs? A big part of it is gravity — or the effective lack of it...

At least 30 people have contracted a rare skin infection after buying seafood at markets in Chinese neighborhoods across New York City, prompting health officials to issue a warning to consumers and market workers to take precautions when handling raw or live fish. The source of the outbreak was unclear, but health officials said that all of the people who were infected had bought fish at markets in Sunset Park, Brooklyn; Flushing, Queens; or Chinatown, in Manhattan. There was no evidence that eating fish from any of those markets could cause illness, officials said. “People are encouraged to wear waterproof...

Kim Jong-il, the North Korean leader, eats live fish, according to his former chef. The 68-year-old enjoys raw fish so fresh "that it is still moving" washed down with fine French wines and brandies, Kenji Fujimoto said. "He particularly enjoyed raw fish so fresh that he could start eating as its mouth is still gasping and the tail is still thrashing," he said. "I sliced the fish so as not to puncture any of the vital organs, so of course it was still moving. Kim Jong-il was delighted. He would eat with gusto." The 56-year-old chef, who is in hiding...

<p>THERE'S nothing genteel about this finger food. Corporate bigwigs are forking over as much as $700 a head for dinner parties where guests are served sushi off a naked woman.</p> <p>The secret gourmet trend has taken off in the past six months in L.A., and now New York is getting on the act.</p>