FYI: Raw Oysters Are Still Alive When You Eat Them, In Case You Didn’t Know

So you’ve got a taste for oysters do you? The kind served by the half shell that you drizzle a little hot sauce on and slurp back? Sounds good, but did you know those slimy little morels are still alive when they slide down the back of your throat?

Surprisingly, not many people who order oysters are aware of this. And you might be gagging at your desk as you read this, but it’s actually a good thing because when oysters die, they’re no longer safe for human consumption. A dead oyster can contain a multitude of bacteria, which can make for much worse than a spell of dry heaves, think along the lines of an all you can eat fish fry with oilfish – let’s just say you’ll be spending copious amount of time in the bathroom. . .

So when DO oysters die after you’ve tipped your head back and slid them into your mouth? Unfortunately, nobody really knows for sure.

Julie Qiu, an oyster connoisseur who writes a blog about oysters – In A Half Shell – says oysters likely die when the meat is separated from the shell, because the oyster’s heart is located right next to the bottom adductor muscle. So technically, that would mean oysters are in fact dead when you throw them back.

Anyone up for lunch?

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