I'm Coming Out...

Out of my shell that is!

I've been asked to share my MOST embarassing moment...can you guess what it is? Just watch my video at the end of this post! And please, pardon the lighting and my arm at the end, lol, my 5.5 year old daughter was filming me!

You readers probably think I am one crazy lady for doing this right? Well, as the title of my post says, I'm coming out...Out of my shell that is, by sharing my most embarassing moment ever. This post is all about coming out of your shell, just like an Oyster!

Living in the Northwest, I am surrounded by sea food. It is every where! In fact, in Shelton, WA, there is actually an Oyster Fest in October of each year. They have all sorts of shellfish to eat, Oyster Shucking contests, etc. I myself, am not a fan of sea food of anykind. Well, I should be more specific. I am not a big fan of any sort of shell fish.

Most consumers do not know that all sea food is not safe. You have to be really careful when you consume raw seafood, especially if you are an "at-risk" individual. An "at risk" individual is anyone that has a Liver disease, Iron Overload Disease, Diabetes, Cancer, or any other illness that weakens your immune system. Anyone that is an at risk individual should not in any way, consume raw sea food due to risk of bacterial infection. The bacteria that is in raw oysters is Vibrio vulnificus, that occurs naturally in warm, unpoluted salt water. It is especially abundant during the warm summer months.

But I am sure there is always going to be a time when an at risk person still wants to experience what it is like to eat a raw oyster, right? Well, Gulf oysters has perfected a process that allows those people to eat raw oysters. They have added saftey measures to the Post Harvest Process of preparing raw oysters, reducing the bacteria Vibrio vulnificus. Those include:

1. Individual Quick Freezing (IQF)
2. Low heat pasteurization or heat-cool pasteurization (HCP)
3. High-hydrostatic pressure (HPP) So all you oyster lovers can be rest-assured that your oysters are safe! Get that oyster out of it's shell and slurp, slurp away! But be Oyster Aware!!!