Islanders warned not to eat fiddleheads from N.B. flood zones
Popular spring treat may contaminated by flood waters
P.E.I.'s Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison is advising Islanders not to eat fiddleheads from areas of New Brunswick affected by flooding — they could be contaminated, the N.B. government is warning.
N.B.'s Emergency Measures Office issued a written statement Wednesday about the popular spring treat — edible fern sprouts foraged from wild areas.
"Flood waters may have contained untreated sewage, fuel, or other industrial contaminants and food (fiddleheads) grown in impacted areas could have been exposed," the statement said.
"Boiling would only be effective against microbial contamination, not chemical."
The P.E.I. Health Department agrees, and also advises against freezing, canning or preserving New Brunswick fiddleheads harvested from flooded areas.
Good for P.E.I. foragers
One P.E.I. forager who supplies stores and restaurants says fiddleheads are just starting to appear in local forests this week.
Michael Walsh from Emyvale, P.E.I., expects demand to be higher this year because of the situation in N.B.
"It's unfortunate, but it will be nothing but good for the P.E.I. foragers," said Walsh. "Not having to compete with that larger New Brunswick market."
The N.B. advisory applies only to fiddleheads harvested in areas that were flooded.