worms on oysters?

The server's conduct was unacceptable. I hate saying this, but whether or not the oysters were problematic, "depends."

A "gold" worm isn't a worm at all, but a sign the oyster has recently eaten. A few red or green worms on gulf oysters, are probably harmless. However, they're a sign the oyster wasn't thoroughly cleaned before shipping and wasn't properly shucked and cleaned before plating. Most worms you see with oysters aren't actually dangerous and were on the outside of the shell, or in shell tubes or crevices until bad handling knocked them inside.

The worms should have been cleaned before the oysters were shipped. At the restaurant, the oysters should have been rinsed in cold water at the time of shucking for the specific purpose of removing worms and grit. I imagine the oysters were gritty, too.

Back to the server: "Normal" in fresh seafood -- except in the sense that they are normal in "worm infested fresh sea food" -- is BS. Although I suppose it would have been a bad sign to find old, listless, dessicated worms instead of young, plump active ones. The restaurant needs to retrain their shucker; and the server should have removed your oysters from the table, removed the order from your bill, and comped you with a different appetizer and a bottle of wine. The answer to, "Miss, there are worms in my food," isn't, "Ain't you never et oysters? That's normal, be-yotch." So much for "fine dining." You were punked.

You should call the the restaurant immediately and let them know you were served worm infested oysters and you aren't happy about it. And ask them how they dealt with the problem; and if they are just now becoming aware, how they plan to deal with it.

BDL

"Just extra protein".

Man, that would gross me out.

the only time worms are acceptable are A. in a bottle of tequila or B. in the worm farm out in the garden. Never on a plate in any place and particularly never in a fine dining establishment

Ummm...I am glad you had such a jovial, forgiving attitude, moreover since the restaurant stepped up to the plate and comped for it. However, as a foodservice pro, surely you should have known better?

OTOH, what you were served were parasites and clearly unfit for human consumption. I would not patronize that business, anymore than you would for a restaurant that served you spoiled chicken and sent you to the hospital for a few days with food poisoning.

I have worked as an apprentice fishmonger for more than a year, an oyster shucker for day boats, and at least 2 restaurants that regularly served oysters Rockefeller. I have NEVER seen worms. However, I they have been described to me by old timers as really bad news that I should warn someone about.

You do not state what state this was in, but here in California, if you really wanted to make a big enough stink about it, you could probably make it the lead story for the evening news on a slow news day.

It just doesn't sound right. I do not care for oysters, and certainly not for WORMS!! My husband loves oysters, but if they came to the table like that it would have been ugly....:eek:

That is just totally wrong in more ways than one. In my life, growing up in Florida and working in restaurants for 30+ years, I have shucked more bushels of oysters than I care to think about and I have never encountered worms. They should never have made it in the back door of the restaurant. Obviously whoever is checking in orders is 1.) nonexistent; 2.) under qualified for the position; 3.) doesn't give a rat's posterier about quality or the position.

I am a professional oyster shucker who deals with both gigas and virginicas.  I can tell you from experience that oysters from different bodies of water come with different "obstacles".  A worm that burrows into the shell of a live oyster is just an example of the fact that oysters themselves play a huge part in the tiny ecosystem of filter feeders.  Finding a live worm, no matter how well the oysters were cleaned, means they are very fresh.  I would shrug it off and be thankful for the fresh sea water in my mouth with or without the worm.

This happens but as pointed out "at least they were fresh oysters"" as if they were old in most cases the worms would be dead or gone.The shucker however should be always vigilant of this. I oftern have fresh cod, sword or other fish that I see worm holes. If you put the fish under a heat source the worm will come out. This does not mean the fish is bad. Here in Florida I find it seasonally as our waters at times are to warm and increases the chance of these things.happening. I will not eat nor use Florida clams or oysters in summer months.

here in the north east we get little oyster crabs that live inside the oyster. They are common like 1 in 3 oysters has one.

 

the crabs to some are considered a delicacy. They are small less than an inch across and the shell is just a thin membrane think softer than the more know softshelled crab.

 

never encountered a worm in an oyster but really dont deal with pacific oysters much. I have come across plenty of flesh parasites in large fish over the years though

We love Oysters and I found a small red worm on the tray of one of the many dozens of oysters we have consumed at a local stop in Florida...it was still alive which I much appreciated, it did not like the lime I squirted on it, but I think they had a different shucker that day and they just did not scrub the oysters as well as normal and paying $4 a dozen, I will never complain...(too loudly).  

I never eat worms even if they are cultured or not. The worm in the oyster looks so disgusting especially in a fine dining restaurant!

Gross!!!!!!

Naw, I think s/he said there was only one!
 

Thats absolutely disgusting. I love oysters but unfortunately I've never checked for this. I'll be sure to do so next time!

never had worms either, sadly I have had grit and once even had a small limpet detach itself from the bottom shell as I was slurping up the oyster. The floor manager was very nice when he saw my reaction  and started spitting out shells. they replaced the tray, then when that one was full of grit too, they comped it.

Imagine if you are trying to eat like this size of worm :D

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Lg7XL9U6ZQ