From Farm to Fingers: an Exploration of Probiotics for Oysters, from Production to Human Consumption

Oysters hold a unique place within the field of aquaculture as one of the only organisms that is regularly shipped live to be consumed whole and raw. The microbiota of oysters is capable of adapting to a wide range of environmental conditions within their dynamic estuarine environments; however, human aquaculture practices can challenge the resilience of this microbial community. Several discrete stages in oyster cultivation and market processing can cause disruption to the oyster microbiota, thus increasing the possibility of proliferation by pathogens and spoilage bacteria. These same pressure points offer the opportunity for the application of probiotics to help decrease disease occurrence in stocks, improve product yields, minimize the risk of shellfish poisoning, and increase product shelf life. This review provides a summary of the current knowledge on oyster microbiota, the impact of aquaculture upon this community, and the current status of oyster probiotic development. In response to this biotechnological gap, the authors highlight opportunities of highest potential impact within the aquaculture pipeline and propose a strategy for oyster-specific probiotic candidate development.