Consumer Preference and Sensory Properties of the Pacific Cupped Oyster (Crassostrea gigas) and the European Flat Oyster (Ostrea edulis)

ABSTRACT

Experts in the oyster supply chain (farmers, retailers, and gourmet chefs) in The Netherlands have suggested that the European flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) has superior sensory qualities compared to the Pacific cupped oyster (Crassostrea gigas). However, scientific evidence is lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate consumer preferences for these two oyster species and to determine the sensory properties of both species by consumers. Two-alternative forced choice tests were performed with the oysters involving a panel of 74 naïve consumers. No significant differences in preferences between the oyster species were observed by the consumers. Nine sensory attributes of both oyster species were evaluated. Consumers did not observe significant differences between species in the sensory attributes: overall odor intensity, sea odor, mud odor, sweetness, pungency, and firmness. The Pacific cupped oyster was perceived as significantly saltier and more intense in greenness than the European flat oyster. We concluded that only a few sensory properties of the European flat oyster and the Pacific cupped oyster are perceived as being different by untrained consumers.     

Effect of environmental factors on the fatty acid profiles and physicochemical composition of oysters (Crassostrea gasar) in Amazon estuarine farming

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of environmental factors on the fatty acid profiles and physicochemical composition of Crassostrea gasar cultured in two locations with differences in salinity and precipitation gradients. The study period was divided into four seasonal divisions—the rainy–dry transition period, the dry season, dry–rainy transition and the rainy season. The salinity, pH and temperature were measured at each site during specimen collection. A total of 712 oyster samples were used for fatty acid profiling and physicochemical analysis. Salinity and precipitation were the environmental parameters that influenced the fatty acid profile and physicochemical characteristics of oysters. C. gasar exhibited excellent values of n3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (DHA, EPA and eicosatrienoic), with a predominance of these acids during periods of higher precipitation. Variations in precipitation and salinity resulted in significant differences in oyster nutritional characteristics. Oysters grown in Amazonian estuaries can be considered nutritious throughout the year, with better conditions during the rainy season.     

Shell shape and meat condition in selectively bred Sydney rock oysters,Saccostrea glomerata (Gould, 1850): The influence of grow‐out methods

The Australian edible oyster industry has been severely impacted by disease and declining yields since the 1970s. Selective breeding of Saccostrea glomerata is one measure addressing these problems by producing fast‐growing, disease‐resistant oysters. Farmers report that selected oysters have different growth characteristics than their wild counterparts using conventional grow‐out methods. This study investigated how different grow‐out methods influence commercially valuable oyster characteristics including shell length, shape, surface growth deformities and meat condition. In June 2015, selectively bred S. glomerata spat were deployed in two estuaries (Hawkesbury River and Georges River) in NSW, Australia, using three grow‐out methods (fixed trays, Stanway cylinders and floating baskets). In November 2015, oysters were transferred among grow‐out methods to test for the effects of changing grow‐out methods on oyster growth patterns. Oysters transferred from baskets to cylinders and from trays to cylinders had, on average, deeper and wider shells, a higher meat condition and fewer shell surface deformities than oysters in other grow‐out method combinations. However, these oysters were smaller than oysters not grown in cylinders. While there were some differences in growth patterns between the estuaries, overall it was the grow‐out methods that most influenced oyster characteristics. This was attributed to differences in the amount and magnitude of movement oysters experienced in the grow‐out methods, as recorded by motion sensors. This study demonstrates how grow‐out methods can be managed to achieve desired growth trajectories and therefore improve marketability among selective bred S. glomerata.     

Quantitative quality evaluation of Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) cultured by two different methods

In order to evaluate the quality of oysters and whether a production method affects quality or not, a set of objective quantitative quality measures was developed. Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) were cultured using two different treatments (never desiccated or desiccated daily with tidal exposure) and the meats were tested by textural, physico‐chemical and chemical analyses over a 25‐day cold storage period. Texture analyses parameters (cutting force and chewiness on oyster adductor muscles) were strongly correlated with storage time before the death of oysters and could be used as a quality indicator for oyster. Total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN) could be used as freshness indicator for raw Eastern oysters, with the acceptability of 11 mg/100 g. Models for evaluating the quality of oysters were established that reflect the impact of a biofouling treatment on oyster's shelf life and texture attributes. The methods and quality indicators developed in this study were effective in evaluating the quality and freshness of Eastern oysters objectively, and could serve as routine quality check of oyster meat for the industry.     

Enhancing lipid nutritional quality of oysters by hybridization between Crassostrea gigas and C. angulata

In the present study, hybrid and inbred oysters were produced by factorial hybridization between two closely related species, the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas and the Portuguese oyster C. angulata. Tissues samples were used for the analysis of total lipid content (TLC) and fatty acid composition (FAC). In general, FAC but not TLC in hybrid oysters was significantly different from inbred oysters. Hybrid oysters have significantly lower ∑SFA composition but higher ∑PUFA composition than inbred oysters, with heterosis for ∑SFA, ∑MUFA and ∑PUFA of ?6.03%, ?6.53% and 14.31% respectively. Moreover, hybrid oysters have significantly higher EPA + DHA content and n3/n6 PUFA ratio than inbred oysters, indicating higher lipid nutritional quality than inbred oysters. Among them, the hybrid ♀ C. gigas × ♂ C. angulata appears to be the most nutritious. These results indicated that the lipid nutritional quality of oysters can be improved by hybridization.     

Effects of the winter Monsoon on the growth,mortality, and metabolism of adult oysters in Kinmen Island,Taiwan

The Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, is cultivated intertidally in Kinmen Island by both a traditional way of growing oysters on the surface of stone blocks, nicknamed “rock oysters”, and a recently introduced and more efficient way of hanging them in clusters on horizontal nylon lines, i.e. “hanging oysters”. We investigated the growth and mortality of both types of oysters from late July to early December 2003, and measured condition index (CI) and rates of oxygen consumption and ammonium excretion for the hanging oyster. Growth of oyster shells stopped in early October for the hanging oysters and early December for the rock oysters. Mortality rates were higher for hanging oysters than rock oysters. Hanging oyster's O/N ratio and CI, determined by a home-made CI meter that measured the volume of oyster's inner shell cavity with high precision, decreased significantly in October. Hanging oysters were apparently in poor physiological condition during the winter Monsoon, which is characterized by cold and persistently strong wind. On Kinmen Island the monsoon season begins in late September and is accompanied by declining seawater temperature and high seston loads in oyster farms. Chlorophyll a concentrations and seston food quality decreased significantly in early October after the winter Monsoon began. The hanging oyster's poor acclimation to the local climate was probably caused by the import of its spat from southwest coast of Taiwan where it is warmer than Kinmen Island in fall and winter. We recommend that oyster growers collect spat locally or from areas of similar climate.     

Comparison of continuous and batch feeding systems on maturation, biochemical composition and immune variables of the oyster Crassostrea corteziensis (Hertlein 1951)

Two feeding systems for maturing oysters were compared, one a continuous feeding system and the other a batch system in which the whole microalgal ration was supplied once daily. The maturation diet consisted in Isochrysis galbana (T-ISO) complemented with an enriched lipid emulsion. Survival and growth did not differ between the feeding systems after 3 weeks of conditioning. Maturation, biochemical composition, fatty acids in membranes and reserves, digestive enzymes activities and immune parameters in Crassostrea corteziensis were analysed. Only oysters fed using the once-daily system had vitellogenic oocytes, whereas the gonad of oysters fed using a continuous-drip system remained immature. Total and differential haemocyte counts were similar between both the systems, but respiratory burst was significantly higher in oysters fed using the once-daily system. Amylase, lipase and trypsin activities in oyster's digestive gland were similar between both the feeding systems. Total lipids, however, differed significantly in oyster tissue in relation to feeding system, with highest level in those fed using the once-daily system, but fatty acid composition in reserves and membrane were similar. No differences were found for biochemical parameters in haemolymph. These results suggest that feeding oysters using a batch, once-daily system allows more rapid initial gonad maturation without affecting general physiological condition and growth.     

Stress response of Crassostrea virginica (Gmelin, 1791) oysters following a reciprocal transfer between upriver and downriver sites

This study was designed to assess the physiological impact of transferring oysters between upriver and downriver aquaculture sites, a common practice in North America that is primarily aimed at reducing disease infections and predation on cultured stocks. In May 2009, oysters (Crassostrea virginica) were reciprocally transferred between an upriver and a downriver site in the Richibucto estuary in eastern Canada. Mortality, tissue and cellular stress responses were subsequently evaluated in August and October 2009. Overall, oyster mortality remained low (~5%) throughout the 5‐month study period with no significant difference between sites or oyster sources. However, by October oysters reared at the upriver site, regardless of their origin, had significantly higher levels of lysosomal membrane destabilization (63.6%, SE = 1.9) and digestive tubule atrophy (33.3–42.4%, SE = 3.6) than oysters reared at the downriver site (47.5%, SE = 1.8; 15.6–19.1%, SE = 3.8 respectively). They also exhibited a greater salinity differential between their mantle/haemolymph fluids and the ambient seawater, possibly indicating more restricted exchange with the environment. In general, the transfer of upriver oysters to a downriver site had a positive impact, i.e. lower levels of lysosomal destabilization and tubule atrophy, whereas transfer of downriver oysters upriver had the opposite effect. These results suggest that upriver environmental conditions negatively impact cellular and tissue integrity in oysters without leading to mortality during the summer–autumn period.     

Growth,morphometrics and nutrient content of farmed eastern oysters,Crassostrea virginica (Gmelin), in New Hampshire,USA

When harvested, oysters represent a removal from the ecosystem of nutrients such as nitrogen (N) and carbon (C). A number of factors potentially affect nutrient content, but a quantitative understanding across the geographical range of the eastern oysters is lacking. This study was designed to quantify the relationships among various metrics of farmed eastern oysters near its northern geographical range focusing on nutrient content. Hatchery‐reared oysters were deployed in polyethylene bags at six sites, and were measured on multiple occasions from 2010 to 2012. A quadratic polynomial fit to the combined datasets for shell height indicated that on average a ‘cocktail’ size oyster (63 mm shell height) would be reached after 2 year, and ‘regular’ size (76 mm) would require 3 year. There were significant differences in growth rates and oyster nutrient content among the sites; means for %N in soft tissue ranged from 6.9 to 8.6, and 0.07 to 0.18 in shell. Per cent N in soft tissue and shell were highest at two sites at the mouths of rivers with elevated dissolved inorganic N concentrations in the water. Grand means (all sites, seasons and years combined) of soft tissue N and C for regular size oysters were 7.3% and 38.5%, respectively; and for shell N and C were 0.13% and 12.0% respectively. Our study extends the range of data on nutrient content of the eastern oyster to northern New England, and indicates that oyster size, seasonality, and nutrient concentration in ambient water potentially affect %N and %C content of oysters.     

The Effects of Stocking Density,Bag Mesh Size,and Bottom Sediment on the Growth and Survival of the Eastern Oyster,Crassostrea virginica,with Emphasis on Controlling Oyster Spat Fouling

This study was designed to determine if oyster spat fouling upon adult oysters, Crassostrea virginica, cultured in coastal Georgia could be controlled by stocking density, bag mesh size, substrate type, and tidal level (intertidally or subtidally). Oyster gowth and survival was also monitored for each treatment. Sediment type had no effect on the number of spat per oyster either in intertidal or subtidal areas. Greater growth occurred in subtidal bags placed on sandmud and sandclay substrates. Intertidal mud and sandhnud bottom treatments showed the least growth. Survival of oysters grown intertidally (64%) was better the those cultured subtidally (27%). Mesh size of the oyster growing bags -had no effect upon oysler fouling or growth (shell length) and survival of the oysters they contained. Stocking density did affect oyster fouling, with lower fouling per oyster in higher density treatments. Density had no effect on oyster growth (shell length) or survival at the levels tested. Heavy fouling occurred on all oysters in the mesh and stocking density experiments while they were suspended off-bottom, but an I l -fold decrease in fouling occurred after bags were placed on the sublidal river bottom.     

Impact of a native predatory whelk on cultivated oysters (Crassostrea gigas) crops in San Quintin Bay, Mexico

San Quintin Bay (Baja, California, Mexico) is extensively utilized by artisanal farmers to cultivate Pacific oysters ( Crassostrea gigas ) using a rope/rack system. A large juvenile oyster mortality event was significantly correlated with the presence of native predatory whelks, Macron trochlea . Surveys, field and lab experiments were performed to identify the predatory behaviour of the whelk, determine factors affecting oyster mortality, and quantify the impact on oyster farmers. Macron trochlea was found to be a voracious, active predator, which can consume ∼4 juvenile oysters day⁻¹. Juvenile oysters suffer significantly higher mortality in the presence of whelks. Macron trochlea has the largest impact on small oysters. Once oysters grow to >30 mm they reach a size refuge above which there is much lower mortality. At average growth rates, an oyster can escape predation after ∼3 months. But, in areas of highest whelk densities, at average predation rates, whelks could consume the standing crop of juvenile oysters in approximately 43 days. For the artisanal oyster farmers of San Quintin this represents a substantial economic loss, which was unaccounted for previously. Farmers can reduce loss to whelk predation by seeding juvenile oysters in low whelk density areas until oysters reach the size refuge.     

Quantitative measurement of reproductive output in the American oyster, Crassostrea virginica (Gmelin), using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)

Abstract. A quantitative gonadal index was developed for oysters, Crassostrea virginica (Gmelin. 1791), using polyclonal antibodies from eggs and sperm. Percoll used in the purification of oyster eggs and sperm greatly improved the purity of antigens compared to filtering the egg or sperm through a fine mesh only. The antigen-antibody reaction was tested with indirect sandwich ELISA using alkaline phosphatase-conjugated goat anti-rabbit igG as a secondary antibody. Rabbit anti-oyster egg IgG and anti-oyster sperm IgG initially exhibited a weak cross-reactivity over somatic tissue. Absoring with acetone-dried oyster tissue powder removed this cross-reactivity. Both antisera exhibited strong specific immunological reactions to oyster eggs or sperm respectively. The quantity of eggs or sperm was measured using ELISA and a quantitative gonadosomatic index (dry wt of egg or sperm/dry wt oyster) (GSI) calculated. GSI from ELISA correlated with gonadal stage measured histologically. Monthly mean GSI of female oysters was highest during late spring to early summer (0·157–0·201) and lowest during early winter to early spring (0·002-0·000). Maximum GSI observed during the study was 0·422 for female oysters and 0·446 for male oysters. Female oysters produce 3·7–65·4 million eggs, with an average of 21·1 million during each spawning. A positive correlation was observed between the number of eggs produced and oyster size; the number of eggs in the gonad increased as oyster size (i.e. total dry wt) increased (r= 0·67); however, the relationship was non-linear. Large oysters contained proportionally fewer eggs. Prevalence of Perkinsus marinus parasitism was high, 90–100%, during the study, as was weighted incidence, 1·33 to 2·67, No statistically significant correlation was observed between infection intensity and the per cent weight of oyster eggs or egg number.     

Combined effects of temperature and diet on growth and biochemical composition of the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg) spat

Temperature and quality of the available food are important factors that influence the physiology of oysters; however, the combined effects have not been well studied. We evaluated the impacts of the temperature and diet on the growth, survival and biochemical composition in the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas spat, cultured in the laboratory for 8 weeks at 23, 26, 29 and 32°C and fed Isochrysis sp.‐Pavlova lutheri (IP) and Dunaliella tertiolecta (Dt). The growth and biochemical composition showed a pattern, which changed in response to rising temperature. The shell length was significantly longer, in spat fed the IP diet, except at 32°C, where both diets produced poor growth results. The survival was <50% after 5 weeks at 32°C, whereas at all other temperatures it was >88%. High temperatures directly increased lipids and saturated fatty acids, while the proteins, carbohydrates and unsaturated fatty acids decreased. High temperatures achieved in the environment, as those reached on clear summer days during low tides, are an important stressor in oyster spat, especially when the quality of the available food is poor.     

The growth and survival of experimental batches of hatchery-reared spat of Ostrea edulis L. and Crassostrea gigas thunberg,using different methods of tray cultivation

The seasonal growth and survival of experimental batches of hatchery-reared spat of the European oyster (Ostrea edulis) and the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) was followed in North Wales during the period 1972 to 1975. Three methods of tray cultivation were compared. These were: (a) trays suspended from a raft in the Menai Straits, (b) trays supported on trestles on the foreshore of the Menai Straits, and (c) trays in a laboratory nursery system which were supplied with sea water from Conwy estuary via a pumped storage system.Growth of oysters in the nursery system was consistently inferior to that of oysters kept at either site in the sea. Although in several years there were significant differences between the growth of oysters on the raft and in trays supported by trestles, on average neither site consistently produced larger oysters.Survival was significantly better in the nursery system for both species of oyster, but no consistent differences in survival were observed between either site in the sea.Seasonal growth of both species of oyster as well as the mortality of O. edulis were positively related to temperature. It was concluded on the basis of cost that (i) cultivation in systems employing pumped sea water would not be viable in the long term, and (ii) raft cultivation would only be suitable for post-hatchery sized oysters up to about 5 g live weight.     

牡蛎礁修复的底物筛选：新、旧牡蛎壳附苗效果比较#br#

通过2019年室内和野外附着实验,检验了牡蛎壳(新壳和旧壳)和生物膜(有生物膜和无生物膜)对牡蛎附着量的影响。室内附着实验表明,在生物膜处理下新壳上牡蛎附着量显著高于旧壳(P<0.05);而在无生物膜对照组中,新、旧壳上牡蛎附着量无显著差异(P>0.05)。野外附着实验发现,生物膜显著提升了旧壳上牡蛎附着量,但对新壳上牡蛎附着量无显著影响。通过2020年野外附着实验,检验了牡蛎壳(新壳和旧壳)和潮区(滩面以上0.6 m和1.1 m)对牡蛎和藤壶附着量的影响。牡蛎附着量在每个潮区中,15 d、45 d和70 d时新壳均显著高于旧壳(P<0.05)。藤壶附着量仅在0.6 m潮区中、15 d时新壳显著高于旧壳,而45 d和70 d时,各潮区中新、旧壳上藤壶附着量均无显著差异(P>0.05)。研究发现,总体来看新壳的附苗效果好于旧壳,这种差异涵盖了整个牡蛎繁殖、附着及补充的高峰期。因此,牡蛎礁修复中应优先选取新壳作为底物。     

Advantages in tray cultivation of pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) in Strangford Lough,N. Ireland

The production of unattached hatchery-reared oyster seed has encouraged the initiation of oyster cultivation in new areas throughout the British Isles, and has led to innovations in methods of handling and growing-on oysters. Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland is an area with no traditional oyster fishery, and the introduction of the fast growing pacific oyster has led to consideration of the most feasible method of cultivating this species. Although raft culture to market size has known advantages, it is normally associated with oysters attached to cultch. However, off-bottom culture by growing unattached oysters intertidally in trays held off the sea-bed is an alternative, which provides higher survival, better growth, higher stocking densities and complete cropping compared with traditional sea-bed culture. Considering these advantages, tray cultivation may be economically justifiable, especially in an area without an existing oyster fishery.     

Proximate and fatty acid composition of the gonads of wild versus hatchery‐conditioned Pinctada margaritifera broodstock

The composition of protein, carbohydrate, lipid and fatty acids of the gonad of wild female broodstock of black‐lip pearl oyster, Pinctada margaritifera, was compared with oysters fed on a ternary combination of microalgae in hatchery. Artificial feeding was found to be as good as natural feeding in terms of number and size of released eggs. Lipid, protein and carbohydrate reserves of unfed oysters were found to be insufficient to complete oogenesis. The proportions of saturated fatty acids (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) of the neutral and polar lipids extracted from female gonads were not influenced by variations in the fatty acid composition of the natural food and ternary combination of microalgae in hatchery. T‐Iso, Chaetoceros calcitrans and Chaetoceros muelleri were able to provide sufficient 22:6n‐3 (DHA) and 20:5n‐3 (EPA), two of the most important essential fatty acids required for gametogenesis. The n‐3/n‐6 and 22:5n‐3/20:4n‐3 ratios were consistently higher in the neutral lipids than in the polar lipids. Conversely, the ratio of 20:4n‐3/20:5n‐3, 22:6n‐3/20:5n‐3 and PUFA/SFA was higher in the polar lipids.     

Growth and Mortality of Ostrea edulis at Two Sites on the Damariscotta River Estuary, Maine, USA

The Damariscotta River estuary is a center of oyster culture in Maine, yet the comparative performance of flat oysters Ostrea edulis at different locations in this now Bonamia ostreae -enzootic estuary has not been assessed. Juvenile O. edulis were deployed in July 1997 among replicate floating trays at one estuarine (Little Point) and one marine site (Lowes Cove), and growth, mortality, and B. ostreae prevalence were compared through December 1999. Growth was faster at Little Point though oysters at both locations reached market size in less than three full growing seasons. Mortality was similar between locations except following a June 1998 rain event that decreased salinity more precipitously at Little Point. Cumulative mortality was greater at Little Point (45.8%) than Lowes Cove (26.7%). Surprisingly, B. ostreae was observed in only a single oyster from Little Point in May 1998. These data indicate that flat oysters in Maine may grow well across a wide range of environments, yet may demonstrate better survival at marine sites where salinity fluctuations are less extreme. While B. ostreae is likely still a threat, selection of sites where rapid growth to market size is possible may reduce its impact.     

The effect of food quality on glycogen content,the fatty acid profile and winter mortality in cultivated oyster spat (Ostrea edulis)

Winter mortality in hatchery reared oyster spat (Ostrea edulis) that received three different diets during the summer period was investigated. Oysters fed a natural type diet had a winter mortality of 18.3 ± 6.3% while oysters fed cultivated algae (a mixture of Tetraselmis suecica, Isochrysis galbana and Chaetoceros muelleri) had a mortality of 73.0 ± 9.7%. A group of oysters fed a mix between the two diets had a mortality of 54.7 ± 10.6%. Tissue samples were taken at the start of the experiment, after the summer period and after the winter period in order to determine growth and the content of glycogen and fatty acids. The glycogen content decreased for all groups during the winter but the decrease was highest in oysters fed the natural diet. This group also contained the largest variety of fatty acids, but there was no difference in the content of the essential fatty acids EPA, DPA and DHA between the groups. It is concluded that transplantation of spat to the sea in spring and early summer may reduce winter mortality since the feeding period on a more varied natural algal diet is prolonged compared to transplantation of spat later in the season.