4. Oyster qualities and nutritional values

Oysters are said to have a distinctive iodized fragrance and taste. The food absorbed by the oyster (phytoplankton) can have an impact on the color of its soft body. The presence of certain micro-algae can change the color of gills, labial palps or the edge of the mantle. This is notably the case for the blue navicula (Haslea ostrearia) present in the Marennes-Oléron oyster beds, which gives the green color characteristic of the Fines de Claires Vertes PGI.