BATON ROUGE — The state has launched a program to help oyster harvesters pay for onboard refrigeration, equipment needed to comply with new health regulations enacted earlier this year.
Oysters harvested between May and October and destined for raw consumption outside of Louisiana must be refrigerated within an hour of being harvested at a temperature of 45 degrees or below.
Additionally, certain oysters have to maintain an internal temperature of 55 degrees within six hours of being pulled out of the water.
Prior to 2010, oysters had to be refrigerated within 10 hours of being harvested during Gulf summers.
The federal government tightened the restrictions to fight off vibrio vulnificus, a rare and sometimes deadly bacteria.
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