Mali Ston oysters were enjoyed by the Romans in Narona, the Illyrians in Ošlje, Dubrovnik nobility in Dubrovnik and Ston, and even rulers and aristocracy in all parts of Europe. The Romans placed oysters high on the list of valued aphrodisiacs, while Casanova, according to the legend, ate 50 raw oysters for breakfast. In the times of the Dubrovnik Republic, oysters were an irreplaceable food item at the renaissance feasts of the Dubrovnik nobility, who enjoyed and offered them to foreign envoys from all over the world. The magical properties of oysters were no secret to the Austrian emperors who often enjoyed them on their menus. Even the Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria regularly acquired oysters from this area for his court. Oysters were transported from the farming location in Mali Ston Bay to Vienna by carriages, in special wooden crates.

However, it is interesting that oysters are rich in essential nutrient zinc, which has an important role in male and female reproductive system. Raw oysters are also rich in rare amino acids (D-aspartic acid and N-methyl-D-aspartate), which increase testosterone level.