Typhoon Dusurui brought all kinds of oysters to the ground. Where did they come from? Can we eat them?

On July 28, Typhoon Dusurui made landfall on the coast of Jinjiang, Fujian, bringing a lot of damage along the way, as well as some rare sights, such as the trending search on Weibo, " Typhoon Dusurui brought oysters everywhere to Zhangzhou citizens ."

Image source: Sina Weibo

From the news, we can see that many citizens use bags, buckets, net bags and other tools to pack oysters.

So, here comes the question: where do these oysters come from? Can we take them home? Can we eat them?

Oysters blown to the beach by the typhoon

Where does it come from?

Oysters are also called oysters. Many friends must have tasted them. Oysters with garlic vermicelli, grilled oysters, and oyster omelettes are all the protagonists of them.

Common oysters in my country include the long oyster (Crassostrea gigas), the Omi oyster (Crassostrea ariakensis), the Fujian oyster (Crassostrea angulata), the dense-scaled oyster (Ostrea denselamellosa), etc., which have great economic and aquaculture value.

Among them, the long oyster is the most common in the market. All kinds of oysters you have eaten in recent years, regardless of size or cooking method, are basically this kind. The one brought to the beach by the typhoon this time is probably this kind.

Oysters brought to Zhangzhou beach by the typhoon. Image source: Boiling Point Video

Oysters are bivalve mollusks and are relatives of the clams we usually eat, but they are not quite the same as the clams we usually eat.

The shells of ordinary clams are usually oval, smooth, and can be drilled with sand. When you open them, you will find a large piece of meat that looks like an axe. However, the shells of oysters are bumpy and you can't find the axe foot when you open them.

This is because oysters lead a sessile life. When they are small, they live a floating life in the ocean. When they encounter a suitable "foundation", such as reefs in estuaries or intertidal zones along the coast, they will land on it and then secrete a liquid that will "stick" themselves to the reef as firmly as the "502 glue" we usually use to stick things together, and they will never move again in their lifetime.

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As the oyster grows, its calcareous shell will also change with the surrounding environment, generally becoming larger in some areas and smaller in others. Irregular wrinkles will also grow on the surface of the shell, almost blending in with the surrounding environment.

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I have seen wild oysters when I was fishing, densely packed together, and each one almost became part of the reef. It is difficult to separate it from the rock unless tools are used for destructive operations .

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So, the question is, how did the typhoon bring the oysters ashore?

My personal guess is that these oysters are not wild, but farmed oysters from nearby farms. The reason is simple. Unless the typhoon blows the reefs together, it is simply a fantasy to blow away the oysters that are fixed on them.

There are two main methods of oyster culture in the artificial farms I have visited: one is to build a frame on the sea, and then put one end of the rope with oyster larvae attached into the sea water and fix the other end to the frame. The other is to directly fix the wooden stakes with oyster larvae attached to the seabed.

Both methods involve placing a fixative into water containing oyster larvae and letting them attach to it. The oyster will then slightly open its shell to reveal a small gap, and then vibrate the cilia on its gills to make the seawater flow. At this time, the seawater outside the body will flow into the body, and the cilia on the gills will filter out organic particles such as plankton and diatoms in the seawater as their own food.

When the oysters grow big enough, they can be harvested from ropes or stakes, which is of course much easier than prying them off rocks.

Farming oysters, source: Tuchong Creative (unauthorized reproduction)

However, when a typhoon came, the ropes hanging on the racks and the wooden stakes stuck in the mud under the sea probably could not hold up. The oysters were blown away. Perhaps during the flight, the oysters fell off the anchors and stayed on the beach when the wind died down. When everyone found them, they all came.

In fact, in addition to oysters, many animals have been blown ashore by typhoons, including but not limited to fish, crabs, prawns and many other animals.

In addition to the seaside, some inland areas tens or even hundreds of kilometers away from the coast have also received gifts from typhoons. In the ancient Chinese book "Han Shu Wu Xing Zhi", it is recorded that "In the autumn of the fourth year of Emperor Cheng's Hongjia reign, fish less than five inches long rained in Xindu."

There are dozens of clearly recorded "fish rain" phenomena around the world in modern times, and some of the fish in the fish rain are still alive. The main cause of this phenomenon is typhoons or tornadoes.

When the wind speed reaches a certain level (the wind speed inside some tornadoes can exceed 200 kilometers per hour), a large amount of sea water and the fish in the water can be blown into the sky. With the help of the wind, the fish can fly very far. When they reach inland, the strong wind is weak and the fish fall down, forming a "fish rain".

Image source: Sina Weibo

Are these oysters edible?

Are there any health risks?

At this point, someone may ask: "Can these oysters be eaten?"

Let me first give you the answer: In theory, you can eat it, but ideals are full of promises, while reality is very skinny. Whether you can eat oysters or other seafood that have been blown ashore by a typhoon, you must first check their freshness, whether they have gone bad, and whether they have been contaminated.

Seafood is different from other animal meats such as pork, beef and mutton. It spoils very quickly, so when we eat seafood, many of them are cooked and processed using fresh or frozen products.

But the good news is that even after leaving the water, oysters can survive for a period of time as long as the temperature is not high and there is no direct sunlight for a long time.

We can judge whether these oysters we picked up are edible by the following aspects:

1. When oysters are alive, their shells are tightly closed and difficult to open.

The opening and closing of the two shells of shellfish are controlled by the well-developed adductor muscle. The same is true for oysters. Once they die, the adductor muscle will gradually relax and the shell will be easy to open.

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2. After opening the oyster shell, observe the color and smell it

The color of oyster meat is generally milky white or milky yellow. The meat of the oyster has a jelly-like texture when touched lightly. Fresh oyster meat has a slight salty smell of the sea. Once the smell is too strong or turns into a foul smell, it means that the oyster meat has deteriorated.

3. It is best not to eat it raw

Many people like to eat oysters raw, which is why the name "raw oyster" comes from this. However, eating raw oysters has very high hygiene requirements. There are very strict requirements for every link from growth, harvesting, transportation, sales, and serving. Otherwise, it is likely to cause food poisoning . It is better not to eat raw oysters that are blown by strong winds.

Finally, I suggest again that you must ensure your health and safety before eating. Otherwise, you will have an upset stomach, which may result in vomiting and diarrhea at the mildest, or you may need to see a doctor in the hospital at the worst, and your life may be in danger.

We go to the beach just for fun. If you are not sure, it is better not to eat it. Buying some seafood in a regular market will at least ensure safety. Your body is your own. Don't be greedy for small profits and suffer big losses.

Planning and production

Author: Erzhu popular science author

Review | Zhou Zhuocheng, Deputy Director of the Native Aquatic Biology and Aquatic Ecology Committee of the China Fisheries Association

Planning丨Lin Lin

Editor: Lin Lin

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