Current situation and countermeasures for quality and safety management of raw oysters from out of water to table

The safety and quality of raw oysters are key factors influencing their sales price. This study first reviewed the current status of safety and quality management of raw oysters in various countries, catigorizing them into three main perspectives of safety, vitality, and flavor quality. Subsequently, the impact of key links such as farming, fishing, cleaning, purification, transportation and sale on the quality of raw oysters were analyzed from the perspective of the distribution chain. As filter-feeding bivalves, oysters were susceptible to multiple safety hazards from farming to sale, mainly including shellfish toxins, heavy metals, harmful microorganisms, and viruses, which can impact their safety. These hazards can be eliminated through standardized farming practice and distribution management. From out of water to the dining table, oysters were exposed to a series of environmental stressors (such as dehydration, temperature, oxygen, density, etc.), leading to a severe decline in vitality and flavor quality, as well as significant economic losses. Due to differences in the mode, intensity, and duration of stress, the effects of the same or different stressors at different links are highly complex. The rapid and accurate assessment of vitality is the foundation of distribution quality management. This article presents a systematic analysis of the metabolism and vitality of oysters under multiple stressors, as well as the correlation between metabolites and flavor, and explores targeted quality control strategies, which could help achieve precise quality control. We look forward to providing a theoretical basis for establishing controllable operations and enhancing the quality and market value of oysters at the point of sale.