When an oyster’s shell is opened up, the process is known as shucking. Shucking involves placing a blade between the hinge of the oyster’s shell, then opening it before severing the abductor muscle which holds the shell closed. Once this process is complete, the live oyster is exposed to the elements and therefore susceptible to deterioration.
Once an oyster has been shucked, it is expected to have a shelf life of between 5-7 days. But this is only if it is stored correctly, which involves keeping the shucked oyster on ice until ready to be eaten or cooked. During this time the oyster will still be alive and ready to be served. However, once the 7 days are over the oyster will begin to die and this will heighten the possibility of ingesting harmful bacteria if eaten.
When it comes to purchasing oysters for your own consumption at home, it is highly advised that you purchase the shellfish unopened. We advise this because unshucked oysters have a longer shelf life expectancy than oysters that have had their shells opened. Of course, when you purchase unshucked oysters, you are purchasing oysters that are still alive and so they need to be stored correctly if you want them to last as long as possible. This will involve storing the oysters in a cold and icy environment, which will allow them to stay alive and edible for up to 4 weeks.
However, we do also advise that you eat your purchased oysters as quickly as possible. This is because an oyster’s flavour will begin to weaken and grow unpleasant the more it is allowed to age. So make sure to enjoy them as soon as you can.