Food Scientist Refuses To Eat This 1 Food. It’s Commonly Found In Galveston

An Oregon food scientist shares the reason that he no longer eats raw oysters with TikTok. Some commenters would prefer a painful death to abstention.

TikTok creator Olivander (@olivander_online) stitched a video from fellow food scientist Hydroxide (@hydroxide). The original video, which Hydroxide posted in 2024, details which foods she personally avoids as a professional.

In a stitch posted on Dec. 28, Olivander says, “I want to add onto her video: Don’t eat raw oysters. I lived in Florida for a number of years. My dad loves raw oysters. I used to get them at special events. Delicious. Love them. I won’t eat them now.”

Olivander’s stitch currently has 4.8 million views.

What's Wrong With Raw Oysters?

The reason Olivander avoids eating raw oysters is simple. “The thing about oysters is they’re filter feeders, and when you have them raw, everything they’ve been filtering out of the water is just going into your gut unfiltered,” he says. “And so the rate of food-borne illness that you get from raw oysters is like 1%. Which means that one out of every 100 people at a raw oyster bar are going to get sick that night.”

He continues, “And you can get sick with things like vibrio, which is a very deadly infection. About 1 in 5 people die from it. And it causes horrible pain and diarrhea, and it can kill you in like a day or two. So avoid raw oysters. Cook them. Oysters Rockefeller. They’re great.”

How Dangerous Is It To Eat Raw Oysters?

According to WebMD, eating raw oysters does indeed come along with a not insignificant risk of illness, including one connected to the bacteria Vibrio vulnificus. If a person does consume oysters with the bacteria, they generally show symptoms within two days. And, yes, people die from eating tainted raw oysters.

In August, Vibrio vulnificus killed two people in Louisiana. The state’s health department acknowledged another two deaths linked to raw oysters earlier that year and said approximately 20% of all people that contract the infection die within 48 hours of showing symptoms. It is especially common in summer months.

Back in 2023, a man in Galveston County died from a Vibrio vulnificus infection after eating raw oysters. The Galveston County Health Authority noted that unseasonably warm ocean temperatures that year contributed to an increase in the number of reported Vibrio vulnificus infections in the area.

Additionally, the man who died had a medical condition that made him particularly vulnerable to this kind of infection. “Individuals that are immune suppressed, have liver disease, and or diabetes should refrain from consuming raw shellfish and recreating in coastal waters,” the press statement reads.

Viewers React To The Oregon Food Scientist’s Raw Oyster Advice

Needless to say, the comments represented two already very entrenched camps of people—those who say they will never eat raw oysters and those who say they will never stop.

“Being a picky eater has saved me again,” wrote one person.

“Scrolled immediately,” joked a second person.

“Marine biologist. Hi. This. Yeah. 100%,” wrote a third viewer.

Someone else said, “There’s rules with raw oysters. Cold months from cold places. Mwah.”

@olivander_online

Patch Texas contacted Olivander via TikTok comment and direct message for comment. We also contacted Hydroxide via email for comment.