Welcome to

2 oysters, Sheldon and Pearl, were planning to finally retire after years working down on the farm.  Pearl’s been robbed, some clown broke in and stole her jewel while she was asleep. Sheldon says “Don’t worry, I brought you some nice grains of sand. You can work on another piece”. Pearl must be really mad about the whole thing, she’s really clammed up on him. Now, in all seriousness, Gulf oysters on the halfshell are a popular treat for many people out there. But you need to be aware that there can be serious risks to consuming raw shellfish if those critters haven’t been handled properly. Ask anyone who has paid the consequences… The good news is that the Gulf Coast oyster industry has taken steps to minimize and ideally eliminate the risks involved with oysters. They have developed a number of innovative post-harvest treatment processes which involve freezing, pasteurization, or high-pressure processing. These processes can greatly reduce risks for at-risk consumers (who include those with diabetes, stomach disorders, liver disease, and more).