It used to be believed that oysters should only be eaten during months with the letter 'r' in their name: September through April. Not during May, June, July, August. This was the practice when oysters were harvested in the wild rather than farmed for three reasons. One, oysters spawn in the summer, making the oysters soft and smelly. Second, because in the past there were no strict regulations regarding keeping oysters on ice. The final factor was high red tide levels in the summer, which happens when there are higher concentrations of an algae that may release toxins harmful to humans. Shellfish can absorb these toxins, increasing the risk of paralytic shellfish poisoning if eaten.
This old belief DOES NOT need to be followed any longer for a handful of reasons.
1. Oysters are farmed in cold waters - 90% of oysters from the Northeast are grown in cold waters where it is too cold for the oysters to spawn.
2. Increased monitoring of the farming and harvesting process
3. Stricter food safety regulations - Rules surrounding how long oysters can be out of the water, Vibrio season, etc.
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