Oysters appeal to the busy homemaker because of their flavor and ease of digestibility. And there’s no waste, they are 100% edible. They also contain carbohydrates, which are generally lacking inmost of other flesh foods.
FACT
There are several species of oysters cultivated in North America. The
two most common species in this area are the Pacific, originally from
Japan, and transplanted here and the Olympia
FACT
How do oysters breath?
Oysters breathe much like fish, using both gills and mantle. The mantle
is lined with many small, thin-walled blood vessels which extract oxygen
from the water and expel carbon dioxide. A small, three chambered heart,
lying under the abductor muscle, pumps colorless blood, with its supply
or oxygen, to all parts of the body. At the same time a pair of kidneys
located on the underside of the muscle purify the blood of any waste products
it has collected.
FACT
Are Oysters Male or Female?
There is no way of telling male oysters from females by examining their
shells. While oysters have separate sexes, they may change sex one or
more times during their life span. The gonads, organs responsible for
producing both eggs and sperm, surround the digestive organs and are made
up of sex cells, branching tubules and connective tissue.
FACT
What is that tiny crab we see in the oyster?
It is a species of crab (Pinnotheres ostreum) that has evolved to live
harmoniously inside an oyster’s shell. These dime-sized crabs, much
sought after by gourmands, are not abundant.
FACT
How do pearls get inside an oyster?
An oyster produces a pearl when foreign material becomes trapped inside
the shell. The oyster responds to the irritation by producing more, a
combination of calcium and protein. The nacre coats the foreign material
and over time produces a pearl.