Storage

 

• Always keep the oysters stored with the curved (convex) side downwards. This helps to retain the fluid in the shell and keep them alive.

• Store the oysters in a deep bowl (to prevent leaks) and away from other open foods. Do not store below raw meat or fish.

• Keep them cool (ideally 4°C to 8°C). Do not re-immerse oysters in water. They will have been properly purified at the depuration centre and any further immersion risks re-contaminating them.

 

Handling

 

• Wash (and dry) your hands thoroughly using warm soapy water, before handling and opening the oysters.

• Ensure the oysters are tightly shut. If they are already open (or do not rapidly close tightly when tapped) they are not alive and shouldn’t be eaten.

• Ensure that the knives and other equipment (including gloves if you wear them) used for opening the oysters are all clean before you start.

• Check that the outside shells of the oysters are clean and avoid pushing any mud or bits of shell into the oyster as you open it.

• Serve promptly.

 

Shucking Instructions

 

Hold the oyster in a towel, with the flat-side up and the hinge exposed. Poke the knife into the hinge. Twist the knife back and forth—like turning a key in a lock—until the top (flat) shell pops open. Run the knife along the inside of the top of the shell to detach the oyster, then cut free from the bottom shell.