L‘oyster (whose scientific name is ostrea) is a genus of bivalve mollusc that has a rounded shell covered with scaly and wavy gills. The two valves are not the same and the lower one, to which the animal is anchored, is much larger and hollow than the upper one. The mollusk has a rounded body, with the margins of the two edges fringed. Oysters live in all the seas of Europe with low depth, they live clinging to rocks and other solid bodies.
Some oysters, mainly those species that live in the eastern seas, produce beautiful pearls but it is also very popular in Mediterranean cuisine. Oysters are alternating sequential hermaphrodites, what does that mean? Who change sex according to the reproductive need of the moment; their eggs are contained in the palleal cavity of the female specimen, where fertilization and the maturation process take place (from the zygote to the larval stage).
After this period they release the progeny at the veliger stage, which then go through a pelagic phase of 8-10 days, during which they disperse from the water currents, thus causing the loss of medium-large quantities of the more mature molluscs. . Let’s see the nutritional values of oysters. They are a good source of ferro, a contribution that makes them a very important food for the formation of hemoglobin of red blood cells, whose function is quite fundamental since they carry oxygen in all the tissues of the body.
Iron is a vitally important constituent against anemic states that can lead to serious problems concerning general fatigue, states of physical weakness and various metabolic disorders. And what about the contraindications instead?
Well, fortunately there are no particular contraindications to their consumption, with the exception of some allergic reactions caused by one protein present in oysterstropomyosin, which occurs almost exclusively in sensitive people with symptoms such as swelling of the face, viral hepatitis, skin rashes and not indifferent abdominal discomfort.
In the case of the production of European molluscs, very strict specific production regulations have been adopted concerning the sanitary field so that these not exactly pleasant eventualities do not occur, also ensuring an effective system of traceability of production capable of exercising controls aimed at prevent any kind of intoxication. To avoid any kind of unpleasant surprise aimed at the personal health of one’s body, it is good to direct consumption towards products and sellers who are able to offer us adequate guarantees of healthiness and absence from harmful contamination. Attention, a total ban on is recommended raw oysters if you are in an interesting state.