Oyster Storage Research Wins NRC Award

A 17-year-old Kerikeri High School student’s study into post-harvest oyster management has earned her this year’s Northland Regional Council ‘Excellence Award’ at the Top Energy Far North Science and Technology Fair.

Student Sarah Pirie’s project “Should there be modifications to oyster storage?” was one of 148 science fair entries involving more than 206 students from 11 Far North schools.

The science fair – which began in 1978 - was held over three days recently at The Centre in Kerikeri and is organised by Far North science teachers.

The Northland Regional Council prize contributes $1000 towards the cost of the winner’s university studies and must be used within three years.

Sarah, a Year 13 (seventh form) student from Kerikeri, plans to use her award to initially study biomedical sciences at either the University of Auckland or Otago, before studying medicine and eventually becoming a surgeon.

Her six-month research investigated management options for oysters that are stored in chillers after being harvested. She chose her research topic because Northland is home to a number of oyster farms.

She says chilling washed and graded oysters is a standard part of New Zealand’s commercial oyster industry. Chiller conditions must be just right to avoid stressing oysters and therefore reducing their quality and overall health.

Sarah says the industry typically refrigerates its oysters for anywhere between three and 12 days. Her research found that five days was the optimum storage duration.

Ironically, Sarah’s research on chilling was interrupted by a fire which destroyed Kerikeri High School’s science laboratories in June. She had to move her research to Kerikeri’s Plant and Food Research laboratory in the wake of the fire.


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