Can oysters be eaten raw? What kind of oysters can be eaten raw?

In my country, there are records of artificial oyster breeding in the Song Dynasty. The famous Luoyang Bridge in Quanzhou in the Song Dynasty is 120 meters long, 5 meters wide, and has 46 bridge piers. When building the bridge, in order to make the bridge piers strong and not be washed away by the tide, oysters were first cultivated on the embankment for several years, and then the stones were solidified with glue to build the bridge piers. In Europe, due to the large-scale and unlimited fishing by humans, oysters gradually became an expensive luxury in the 18th century, and artificial breeding gradually became popular.

Not all oysters are suitable for eating raw.

However, although oysters are common all over the world, not every type of oyster is suitable for eating raw. This is limited by the physiological characteristics of the oyster itself and the environmental and historical conditions.

As a unique sessile shellfish, oysters mainly feed on tiny zooplankton, diatoms and organic debris. They vibrate the hairs on their gills to generate airflow in the water. Water enters the gills, and the suspended particles in the water are stuck to the mucus. The hairs and tentacles on the gills classify the particles according to size. Then they send small particles to their mouths and transport large particles to the edge of the mantle and throw them out.

This unique way of eating determines the different quality of the seawater in the area where the oysters are grown, and their taste and safety are also very different. Especially in the southeastern coastal waters of my country, due to problems such as ecological environmental degradation, these oysters are not suitable for eating raw, so most of the oysters in my country are cooked in garlic paste, charcoal grilling, etc. In the coastal areas of Guangdong and Fujian, it is more popular to dry oysters and cook them into porridge, so oysters are also called "oysters" in the local dialect.

Several types of oysters that can be eaten raw

1. Belon Oysters

Belon oysters belong to the European flat oyster (Ostrea Edulis). They are native to Europe from Norway to Morocco via the Mediterranean to the Black Sea. They were later introduced to North America and are cultivated in Washington and Maine. However, only European flat oysters native to the Belon River in France can be called Belon oysters. Belon oysters have extremely strict growth conditions and their growth period is nearly twice as slow as other oysters. Therefore, their production is scarce, but their quality is also more outstanding. They are called the king of oysters. The first taste has a strong mineral flavor and seaweed aroma, the middle taste is surging and stimulating, the aftertaste is mellow and refreshing, and the metallic taste is strong. The numbness it brings will spread from both sides of the tongue to the mouth, which is very strong. People who are new to oysters may find Belon oysters too strong, but they are the favorite of many oyster connoisseurs.

2. Gillardeau Oysters (Damn, after Perón, there must be Gilardino…)

Gillardeau is the first company in France to name an oyster variety after its family name. Gillardeau is a French rock oyster, farmed in La Rochelle and the Île d'Oleron in western France. Each Gillardeau oyster must go through 59 complex breeding methods and take at least four years before it can be put on the market. Even the three-star Michelin restaurant in Paris is proud to be able to supply Gillardeau oysters during the oyster season. Gillardeau is rich and plump, with a very complex taste. The fresh fragrance of the ocean hits you at the entrance, and after a brief crispness, it is an extremely rich and soft creamy taste, which brings out a rich mineral texture after full contact with the teeth in the mouth. Then the hazelnut and iodine aromas slowly emerge, and after careful tasting, you can feel the slight smoky and wine aromas. Gillardeau oysters are Moo Moo's favorite oysters, no doubt about it!

3. Fine de Claire Oysters

FinedeClaire grows in the Loire and Gironde estuaries in western France and is a representative of European oysters. This type of oyster is slender and slim, with transparent oyster meat and a strong taste. It tastes fresh like lemon, salty first and then sweet, with a mineral taste. It is crispy, refreshing, and has a strong seawater taste with a long aftertaste - but I have never eaten this oyster.

4. Kumamoto Oysters

One of the most famous oyster varieties in the United States is the Kumamoto oyster. It is native to Kyushu, Japan, and was introduced to the United States in the mid-twentieth century and successfully cultivated in the Gulf of Northern California. On the contrary, oysters native to Japan are increasingly being caught due to the transition. Currently, most of the Kumamoto oysters on the market are produced in the United States. It grows slowly, usually taking about three years to grow to a size suitable for consumption. Its flavor is rich and smooth, and after entering the mouth, it changes from a light salty taste to a sweet taste, with a fruity fragrance and a natural flavor of minerals. The taste is quite refreshing, which is very suitable for people who try oysters for the first time. This oyster Moo Moo feels light in taste, and some people may think it has a fishy taste.

5. Pacific Oysters

Pacific oysters first grew in the coastal areas of Northeast Asia and were introduced to the United States in the early 20th century. They gradually became popular and are now a very popular variety on the west coast of the United States. They have a mild taste, not too strong in seafood flavor, and have a light fruity and vegetable flavor. They are more suitable for people who are new to oysters.

In fact, in the end, it is still necessary to say that oysters only have different ways of eating and different tastes, and their nutritional value does not increase or decrease due to different ways of eating. The above brands of oysters are only oysters suitable for eating raw, and there is no difference between them and the oysters produced in our country. Moreover, oysters that can be eaten raw are really not cheap. In history, there are many wealthy people who went bankrupt because of smoking cigars and eating oysters.