You may have heard the saying that raw oysters are safer to eat in months with an “R” in them—from September to April, when it’s cooler in the Northern Hemisphere.

But this old rule isn't true. Eating raw oysters is risky year-round, and the danger has little to do with temperature or storage. Although modern farming and supply chains have improved food safety, the risk of eating raw oysters goes beyond how they’re harvested or stored.

Oysters are filter feeders, meaning they absorb whatever is in the water around them, including harmful bacteria and viruses. Because many water sources are contaminated with fecal matter , oysters from those waters can also carry harmful pathogens.

Cooking oysters kills many of the harmful microbes they may contain. Eating them raw means ingesting wh

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