When flu season rolls around, or when there's an outbreak of food-borne illness, you may have noticed that children, seniors and those with certain chronic illnesses are singled out as high-risk groups. In the case of your kids, that's because their immune systems aren't fully developed yet. That's why the Food and Drug Administration's food-safety literature advises against letting children eat raw oysters and other seafood.
Oysters
Oysters are mollusks, a class of shellfish that also includes clams, mussels and squid. Like their siblings, oysters have a sweet and delicate flavor that's cherished by seafood lovers. Oysters feed by filtering nutrients from the water around them, which means oysters of the same species will taste quite different depending where they've lived. A Cotuit oyster from Nantucket, for example, is very different from a Canadian Caraquet or Malpeque. Aficionados can identify many varieties by taste, just as other experts do with wine.
Serving Oysters
Oysters are widely consumed, both raw and cooked. A traditional East Coast preparation is oysters rolled in cornmeal, then fried in hot lard or vegetable oil. Oysters Rockefeller, supposedly named for the millionaire because they're so rich, are stuffed with spinach and broiled. Oysters stuffing for the holiday turkey is still popular in some areas. However, serious oyster-lovers prefer to eat them raw, right from the shell, and as fresh as possible. There are several traditional garnishes, ranging from lemon juice to hot sauce to a French mixture called mignonette, which usually includes shallots, parsley and good vinegar.
Oysters and Food-Borne Illness
Like other shellfish, oysters are doubly risky for food-borne illness. Not only are they highly perishable themselves, but as filter feeders, they absorb pollutants and bacteria from the water around them. When you allow for the possibility that the fishmonger or restaurant's staff might not handle them correctly, it's understandable that the FDA discourages those in high risk groups from eating raw oysters. Campylobacter, listeria and several bacteria of the vibrio family -- including the one that causes cholera -- can occur in oysters. Oysters are especially prone to infection with shigella and vibrio vulnificus.
Feeding Your Children Oysters
Like other forms of seafood, oysters are a good source of high-quality protein that's low in saturated fats. This makes them a healthy food source for a growing child, since protein is fundamental to proper development. Cooked oysters can be fed to children as young as six months, if they are cut into small enough pieces. The shellfish must be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 145 F to be safe. Shellfish are one of the most common allergens, so don't try your child on any other new foods until you're sure the shellfish aren't causing a reaction.
References
- Baby Center: When Can My Baby Eat Shellfish?
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Fresh and Frozen Seafood: Selecting and Serving it Safely
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Top 14 Food Borne Pathogens
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Raw Oysters Contaminated With Vibrio Vulnificus Can Cause Illness and Death
- The Nibble; All About the Oyster; Karen Hochman; August 2011
- Fine Cooking: Oysters
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