Can you eat dead clams? A foodie expert tells you

Flower clams are also known as clams. They have high nutritional value, tender meat, high calcium content, and are rich in vitamin B12. When there are no clams, it is best to choose live ones. Although clams that have died recently can be eaten, the taste will be bad.

1. Can you still eat dead clams?

1. Clams that died of normal causes are edible, but they will not taste fresh and have a bad taste. Therefore, when selecting, you can pick up the clams and tap them gently. If it makes a "bang bang" sound, the clams are dead; on the contrary, if it makes a crisp "crackling" sound, the clams are alive. In addition, if it is frequently stirred, look for one with a closed mouth. If it is kept in still water, look for one with an open mouth. If it closes itself when you touch it, it means it is still alive.

2. Many people assume that unopened clams are dead before cooking. This is actually a wrong view. The main reason is that there is a problem with the ligaments and muscles that control the opening and closing of the shell of the clam, and they cannot contract when exposed to heat. It is not that the clam is dead.

The reason why clams can open and close freely is all due to their special body structure. The opening of the shell mainly depends on the ligament connecting the two shells; the closing of the shell mainly depends on two cylindrical adductor muscles - one in the front and one in the back, also known as the fleshy column. The scallop meat is the dried scallop sold in stores. When the adductor muscle contracts, the column becomes longer and can no longer hold the two shells together, so the shells open. After the clam meat is cooked, the adductor muscle loses its contraction function, so the shell opens.

3. Here is a counterexample: When cooking freshly-frozen clams, their shells will also open; this just goes to show that if nothing unusual happens, even dead clams will open their shells when exposed to heat.

2. Tips for Clams to Spit Sand

1. Use peanut oil: Pour sea water or salt water into the container containing clams; then add a few drops of peanut oil to the container containing clams, and then stir it with chopsticks to spread the oil evenly on the water surface. This will isolate the water from the air, and the clams will quickly spit out the mud and sand.

2. Use iron tools: Put iron tools (such as a pair of scissors) into the container containing clams. Shellfish have the habit of spitting out mud and sand when they smell the iron. This will also allow the clams to spit out the sand quickly and effectively.

3. Soak in sesame oil and salt water: If time permits, you can soak the clams in water with sesame oil and salt. One thing to pay attention to when using this method is the temperature. The water should be around 20 degrees Celsius. If you use tap water directly from the faucet, the water temperature is low and the clams will not like to open their mouths. If you soak the clams in this way for 2-3 hours, they will spit out a lot of mud and sand.

4. Shake back and forth: Find a larger basin or box with a lid, put the shells in, pour in a little water, just enough to cover them, then shake the container back and forth with your hands, with moderate force, not too strong, otherwise the clam shells will break. After shaking for two minutes, the clams will feel dizzy and will spit out a lot of mud and sand. Wash them with water and shake them again. Repeat three times and it will be almost done.

5. Blanching: This method is the most direct and thorough way to remove mud and sand from clams. However, if you use clams to make soup, do not use this method as the flavor will be lost. It can be used when frying clams. Place the clams in a pot of boiling water, cover the pot, and remove after one minute. Rinse with water again, wash away the mud in the clams thoroughly, drain the water and set aside. This method can remove silt without any reservation. A vendor selling clams at the beach once told me that if you cool the water used to blanch the clams, the sand will sink to the bottom, and you can use the water on top to wash the clams, which will preserve the freshness of the clams.

3. Nutritional value of clams

1. Clam meat contains carbohydrates, protein, fat, niacin, inorganic salts, and vitamins A, B1, and B2. Clam shells contain calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, magnesium silicate, iodine and bromide salts.

2. The calcium content of clams is quite prominent among seafood. Taking 100 grams of clams as an example, the calcium content is 130 mg. Although it cannot be compared with dairy products, it is also a good source of calcium.

3. Clams are also rich in vitamin B12. B12 is related to blood metabolism. Those who are deficient may suffer from pernicious anemia, especially those who have undergone gastric surgery. The absorption rate of B12 is poor, so you can consume more clams.