TIERRA VERDE, Fla. (WFLA) –  In the vast waters of the Gulf, you’ll find some of the tastiest treats known to man. 

One man knows all about the seafood supply. Kenneth Baker is the head chef at Billy’s Stone Crab in Tierra Verde, a historic spot since 1973.

“We sell a lot of oysters here, and we shuck them fresh daily,” he told WFLA.

Kenneth says it’s a responsibility he takes to heart as he serves up this high demand seafood, which includes careful inspection of each oyster. 

As he shucked a few, he automatically noticed one he’d throw out – and did.

“I wouldn’t serve one I wouldn’t eat, so if it doesn’t look right, I won’t send it out,” he said.

It’s an instinct that comes with nearly 20 years experience in the business. 

One thing Kenneth points out, oysters must be kept cold, often on ice. They do not like the heat.

“That’s when these bacteria things take place, if they get too hot. And that’s when you have to get rid of them,” he explained.

He also admits that, yes, there’s a risk when you eat them raw.

If there are any problems, he points out, the tainted product is easily tracked with details on every case shipped out to restaurants.

“So, that’s why we keep the tickets where they were harvested, have to show all those details about them,” he told us.  

Each oyster can be tracked to each spot, in each place it came from anywhere in the country. 

Kenneth says it’s all about attention to detail when preparing oysters, having someone at the helm would not serve it to anyone else if they themselves wouldn’t eat it. 

Health experts say there really is no safe time of the year to eat oysters. There is always a risk, especially in the warmer summer months when the heat contributes to the growth of the bacteria.