What is so special about oysters that they have been praised by the most talented foodie in history?

Su Shi, a great writer and calligrapher in the Northern Song Dynasty, had a hidden identity. Do you know what it was? He was the first food blogger in the Northern Song Dynasty. He once discovered Hainan's special food - oysters - with his perseverance in food. Su Shi praised oysters as "very delicious, and there is no such thing before". Oysters are now also a rare special food in coastal cities in southern my country, such as oyster chicken hot pot, oyster pancakes, oyster sauce, etc.

Oysters, also known as oysters, sea oysters, etc., are scientifically known as oysters. They belong to the phylum Mollusca, class Bivalvia, order Pectinatus, family Ostreae. They are delicious and nutritious. The protein content of the soft part exceeds 50%. They are a high-protein aquatic product and are known as "ocean milk". In addition, oysters also contain a large amount of vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin D, taurine, zinc, etc.

my country's oyster farming output accounts for more than 80% of the world's total, with an annual output of about 5.4 million tons, accounting for 35% of my country's total shellfish production and 25.4% of the total marine aquaculture. The annual output value is hundreds of billions of yuan, which has driven the employment of millions of people in the industrial chain and occupies an important position in marine aquaculture. Most of the oysters currently common in the market in my country are from Guangdong Province, such as Zhanjiang oysters, Taishan oysters, Yangjiang Chengcun oysters, etc. Among them, Yangjiang Chengcun oysters come from Yangjiang, which is known as the "Oyster Capital of China". "Chengcun Oysters" have become a national geographical indication protected product with their plump and tender meat and excellent quality. In recent years, Yangjiang has explored a new path of "oyster +", using small oysters to leverage the big economy. The city's oyster farming area has reached 75,000 acres, with an annual output of 410,000 tons, ranking first in Guangdong.

File photo: Fishermen from Qiuzhugang Village, Changchun Town, Xiapu County, Fujian Province, board a boat to harvest oysters from the dock

The whole oyster is a treasure. The oyster meat can be used for food, to extract oyster sauce, and to extract beneficial ingredients. The oyster shell can be used as an attachment base for oyster seedlings, a water purifier, a soil improver, an animal mineral nutrient improver, etc.

In addition, oysters also have important ecological value. First, they can form oyster reefs, which can provide habitats and shelters for small marine organisms, which is conducive to improving biodiversity. When typhoons and waves hit, oyster reefs can effectively reduce the impact and damage of waves and reduce the erosion of coasts and embankments. Second, oysters are a kind of filter-feeding shellfish. They convert suspended organic matter in the water environment into shells and oyster meat. After the oysters are harvested, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and other substances in the water body are taken out of the water body, avoiding eutrophication of the water body and making the water clearer and more beautiful. Third, oysters absorb a large amount of carbon dioxide during their growth process to form oyster shells. Their carbon sink effect is strong and can reduce the global greenhouse effect.

Review expert: Chen Rui, PhD, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

China Association for Science and Technology Department of Science Popularization

Xinhuanet

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