Florida Seafood and Aquaculture
Handling and Serving Oysters
To ensure that the highest-quality oysters reach retail and food service operations, strict harvesting and handling standards are imposed on fishermen, farmers, packers and distributors. Maintain a wholesome and safe product of Florida oysters by following these guidelines. By emphasizing quality control, oysters will have less spoilage, a longer shelf life and provide better economic return.
Handling Oysters in the Shell (Shell Stock):
Make sure all containers are properly tagged by certified dealers and the tags are retained for at least 90 days.
Store at 40 degrees F in dry refrigeration.
Oysters should be alive until prepared. Discard dead oysters that have gapping shells.
Handling Shucked Meat in Containers:
Containers should be labeled with the product name, processor name, volume and sell by date. The sell by date should be the 14th day after processing.
The container should be covered with ice and stored under refrigeration at 35 degrees F. Containers should be leakproof and the oyster meat should be completely covered in their own liquid.
For the best quality, use on or before the sell by date.
Frequently Asked Questions
Print Resources
Multimedia
Oyster Safety TV (:32)Related Links
- Be Oyster Aware
Contact Us About Handling and Serving Oysters
Division of Marketing and Development
Bureau of Seafood and Aquaculture Marketing
The Collins Building, Innovation Park
2051 East Dirac Drive
Tallahassee, Florida 32310
Martin May
(850) 617-7280
(850) 617-7281 Fax
Martin.May@FreshFromFlorida.com
