Are Oysters Safe to Eat Raw? Understanding the Microbes and Risks: Dr. Rachel Diner

Oysters can be risky to eat raw, but what microbes are actually responsible? Is there more to it than just chance? In this episode, I talk with Dr. Rachel Diner, Assistant Professor at the University of Memphis researching aquatic microbes, to find out.

Here, we discuss the hidden world of bacteria in oysters, exploring the roles these organisms play in the environment and their impact on human health. Our conversation digs into the complexities of Vibrio bacteria and the environmental conditions that influence their prevalence, but it’s also full of practical advice.

Listen to the episode to learn how there’s a lot more to the story when it comes to oysters and the bacteria they harbor.

Topics covered in this episode:

• How Rachel got interested in microbiology and became an Assistant Professor researching aquatic microbes at the University of Memphis
• How we get sick from oysters and what microbes are involved
• Can you tell if oysters will make you sick from smelling them?
• How does Vibrio get into oysters?
• How much Vibrio will make us sick?
• The roles of Vibrios in the environment
• How environmental factors (water temperature, salinity, and nutrient levels) influence the prevalence and virulence of microbes in oyster populations
• Are there certain times of year when it’s safer to eat oysters? (Only months that end in R)
• Rachel’s advice as a microbiologist when it comes to oysters
• Microbiology misconceptions
• Shifts in the field of non-model systems’ microbiomes
• At-home microbiology activity: Winogradsky columns (learn some helpful tips on running these columns)

Listen to my episode with Dr. Rachel Diner

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Links & Resources

• More on aquatic microbiology:
  • Discovery Of Antibiotics From Marine Microbes [Interview with Katherine Duncan]
  • Life begins with algae
  • Microbiology Research in Costa Rica
• At-home microbiology activity:
  • Blog post: A window into the microbial world: the Winogradsky column
  • Full educator lesson plan: Joyful Winogradsky Column Guide
  • Winogradsky column tracker: Winogradsky Column Workbook

Connect with Dr. Rachel Diner

Hailing from Georgia, Dr. Rachel Diner moved to California after college to pursue her love for surfing and to attend law school. After a brief stint as an environmental attorney in southern California, she re-discovered her passion for science and returned to school to pursue an academic career as a marine microbiologist. As an Assistant Professor at the University of Memphis, she now studies both aquatic and marine microbes, with a focus on bacteria living within shellfish such as oysters and clams. Her main interest is to understand how these microbes affect host health, how they are impacted by environmental stressors, and whether they are capable of degrading environmental chemicals, which may benefit their hosts and the ecosystem. She is also a mother of 3 kids and enjoys yoga, gardening, traveling, and her pet chickens. She does not eat oysters.

Connect with Rachel Diner, PhD: website, Instagram