Oysters Marennes Oléron

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Fines de claires

Fine de Claire

Cupped oysters matured in claires (basin dug in naturally impermeable clay soils, supplied with seawater by a network of channels that communicate with the sea) at a minimum immersion of 2 weeks at 1 kg / m², from 1 April to 31 Octobre, and of 4 weeks at 3 kg / m², from 1 November to 31 March, having a quality index of 7 and 10.5, exclusive.

French norm: minimum index 6.5

Marennes-Oléron norm: Minimum index 7

Green fines de claires label rouge

Cupped oysters are matured in the claires of the Marennes-Oléron basin, at a minimal immersion of 2 weeks at 1 kg / m², from 1 April to 31 October and 4 weeks at 3 kg / m², from November 1 to 31 March with an index of quality of 9.0 to 10.5 exclusive, or the upper limit of the Fines de claires

These oysters are green, round and fleshy. They must be sold by units in their original sealed package.

Spéciales de claires

Cupped oysters matured in claires at a minimal immersion of 2 weeks at 1 kg / m², from 1 April to 31 October and 4 weeks at 3 kg / m², from 1 November to 31 March, with an index of quality of greater than 10.5.

 

These oysters are round and fleshy.

Pousses en claires label rouge

Cupped oysters grow in claires at a minimal immersion of 4 months, with a maximum density of 5 oysters per square meter (preferably 2 oysters per square meter) and having an index of quality of greater than 12. The calibres are the same as the specials: minimum marketable size of 50 g.

These oysters are round and fleshy, with the characteristic taste of the terroir of “Marennes-Oléron”. The flesh has a “fruity” taste and lingers on the palate. The gills are not necessarily green.

Categories

INDEX OF QUALITY

  • No. 5 means “small oysters”
  • No. 4 and No. 3 means “average”
  • No. 2 means “big”
  • No. 1 and No. 0 means “very large”

This is a norm first determined by AFNOR, used identically in the interprofessional agreement of the CNC

i = (m1x100) / m0

i = Index

m0 = mass in grams of 20 oysters before opening

m1 = mass in grams of drained flesh of the same 20 oysters

Calibres and index of quality

The naming and classification of cupped oysters formerly given by the AFNOR 85344 norm is now determined by the central interprofessionnal agreement of the National Shellfish Committee, effective since 1st January 2001, and the specifications of the Protected Geographical Indication of Marennes-Oléron (PGI).

The classification of cupped oysters is fixed at the dispatching of the shipping company to the retail stage, according to their unit weight.

According to their name, the calibres correspond to the following table:

Source: Accord Interprofessionnel du C.N.C.

It is forbidden to market oysters that are less than 30 g.

Name Fines de claires, Fines de claires vertes Label Rouge, Spéciales de claires, Pousses en claires label Rouge
Category Unit mass tolerance limits
N°5 30 to 45 g
N°4 46 to 65 g
N°3 66 to 85 g
N°2 86 to 110 g
N°1 111 to 150 g
N°0 More than 150 g