FDA

Oyster lovers in the deep South are fuming over a potential FDA policy that would require Gulf Coast oysters harvested in April through October to be treated before sale for raw consumption. While the FDA says it is trying to prevent deaths to the potential consumption of deadly bacteria, restaurant owners and oyster lovers says that the government is nosing in where it doesn't belong.

Oysters are a huge part of life in Louisiana. Fresh oysters on the half shell eaten at the raw bar aren't just a delicacy but a tradition. But the FDA says that 15 people each year die from the Vibrio vulnificus bacteria and warm weather oysters are more likely to carry this deadly bacteria. Oysters can be treated with a bacteria-fighting technology but critics of the policy, which would go into effect in 2011, say that the treatments are expensive and there are too few of the oyster treating machines in place in the area. The price of treated oysters could skyrocket.

There is also a fear that the sterilized oysters don't have the same intensity of flavor as the untreated ones. Methods including soaking the oysters in hot and cold water baths, using a water pressure treatment, freezing or even irradiation. The FDA says that oysters treated with all these methods are safe to eat but all the processes except irradiation kill the oyster which takes away a bit of the naughty thrill of eating live shellfish.

Oysters are important to the Louisiana economy. Around 3,500 people are employed in the industry in the state. The LA Times reports that it has a $318-million annual impact on the economy and provides a third of the nation's oysters. Federal officials have said that Louisiana can regulate what goes on within its own state, the FDA only regulates food that passes over state lines.

Those who have seen the deadly effect of the vibrio bacteria feel that the raw oyster ban is a simple and necessary precaution but it's hard to convince the shuckers and longterm consumers of the need to change what they have always done.

There has been a proliferation of bottled waters on store shelves and in restaurants. There are differences, whether you can taste them or not, and the industry is tightly regulated by both the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) and the IBWA (International Bottled Water Association).

The FDA determined standards of identity to help classify the different types of bottled water. A basic summary of the classifications follow:

• Spring water which comes from a natural underground source and from which the water flows to the surface of the earth.
• Purified water where the water has been produced by a process that is defined by the United States. These processes can include but are not limited to distilling and reverse osmosis.
• Mineral water which is described by having naturally occurring dissolved solids (minerals and trace elements) at the minimum rate of 250 parts per million. This means the minerals or other solids can not be added later.
• Sparkling water is allowed to have carbon dioxide added or other treatment to retain the same level of carbonation it had at the original source.
• Artesian water which is water taken from a specific height above an aquifer.
• Well water which is self explanatory, just like our backyards it is water that comes from a hole drilled or bored in the ground.

Soda water, seltzer and tonic water are classified as soft drinks and are regulated differently.

If you think that the different brands of bottled water taste differently it is not your imagination run amok. While many of us are influenced by the design of the bottle itself, if you listen to your taste buds carefully, you might learn to discern which of the bottled waters you prefer and why.

According to industry experts, the mineral content, both amount and types as well as PH, and the level of carbonation effect the taste of a given brand of bottled water. High TDS (total dissolved solids) in mineral water as well as the amount of specific minerals such as salt, may also effect ones perception of the taste. Obviously the size of the bubbles in carbonated water influences the way it feels in your mouth, just as it does in champagne.

Speaking of champagne, a fun idea is to conduct your own bottled water tasting. Look for waters from different regions, aquifers, rain water, mineral waters and even tap water for comparison. The best part is that there is no right or wrong just what you prefer!