Oyster

Animal and lab studies only

• Benefit

  Mineral absorption in the gut⁴

  In lab studies, oyster ferritin helped iron and zinc get absorbed in the gut, even with phytate around.

Found in some samples or products

These come from where it was grown, how it was processed or cooked, or what it was made into. They are not about the ingredient itself, so the signal does not count them.

• Shellfish illness risk²

  Oysters can pick up a germ called Vibrio parahaemolyticus from seawater, which may make people who eat them sick.

• Food poisoning from shellfish³

  Raw oysters have been linked to norovirus outbreaks that sickened hundreds of people across Europe.

• Metal buildup in shellfish⁵

  Oysters can build up metals like cadmium, copper and zinc from the sea, but most samples stayed within EU food limits.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.