Ryoko Shimada

This study obtains data to develop methods for advertising the rock oyster (Crassostrea nippona) as a regional branded food by investigating the degree of recognition of the characteristics of the rock oyster, the Pacific oyster (C. gigas), and the common oyster by young people living in oyster-producing regions. The survey was conducted in the production regions of Japan, namely, Nagasaki, Hyogo, Miyagi, and Hiroshima prefectures. The participants were university students who would become future consumers of the rock oyster. Approximately 40% of the participants recognized the rock oyster; furthermore, less than 20% of them had consumed it. Thus, most participants did not recognize and/or had never consumed the rock oyster. Furthermore, the season of the rock oyster was identified to a lesser degree than that of the Pacific oyster. Most participants could not identify the production region of the rock oyster. The most common perceptions of nutrients and dishes associated with oysters were minerals and fried and grilled dishes, respectively. These findings are useful as a basis for developing methods to advertise the rock oyster as a regional branded food.