UPDATE - Issue 30 - Summer 2007
Sex pill boost for oysters
Oysters are being fed Viagra in Australia in an attempt to boost their aphrodisiac qualities.
Marketing executive George May from New South Wales came up with the idea after he underwent surgery for prostate cancer, a common side effect of which is impotence. Following the operation, his doctor prescribed a low dose of Viagra to assist with his recovery.
Mr May approached struggling oyster farmers Royden Whitten and Barry Lambert to discuss whether it was possible to feed Viagra to growing oysters.
Oysters are filter feeders, so they grow by absorbing nutrients in water. Farmers then harvest the oysters and transfer them into tanks of Viagra-infused water.
Mr May claims tests have proved the oysters show traces of sildenafil citrate - the active ingredient in Viagra.
The farmers have patented the process and are now preparing to export them to the Asian market.
They may have problems, however, with pharmaceutical giant Pfizer over whether or not they can be called ViagraOysters.