Can the internal organs of abalone be eaten? How to choose abalone

Abalone is a marine shellfish food and a very precious food in China. It has many tonic effects on the body, so many people like to eat abalone. Abalone is also divided into many types, but the nutritional value of all is very high. Many people like to eat abalone as a whole, but in fact many parts of abalone are not edible, especially the internal organs, which require special attention when eating.

Some people are reluctant to remove the green internal organs of abalone because of its high price. Abalone viscera are poisonous and seasonal, which is related to the growth of seaweed. The poisonous period is from February to May each year, during which time abalone viscera cannot be eaten.

Abalone's internal organs contain photosensitive toxins, which are decomposition products of chlorophyll derivatives from seaweed. This toxin usually accumulates in the liver of abalone in the spring and is photochemically active. If someone eats abalone containing this compound and then exposes to sunlight, the substance will promote the production of amine compounds such as histidine, tyrosine and serine in the human body, causing inflammation and toxic reactions of the skin.

The symptoms of poisoning by abalone toxin are red swelling on the face and hands. People with allergic constitutions will have a more severe reaction, but it is not fatal. So it is recommended to remove the internal organs.

How to choose fresh abalone?

First of all, from the appearance, the abalone shell is bright in color and cannot have any parasites attached. The fish meat is beige or light brown, oval in shape, without any damage, and of uniform size. Such abalone is better. Secondly, you need to pinch the meat with your hands. Good abalone has thick, plump, soft and elastic meat. Living abalone will shrink when touched, while those stiff abalone are dead and cannot be eaten.

After selecting an abalone that you like, you need to first cut the meat off along the abalone shell when preparing the dish. There will be some internal organs inside, which need to be removed cleanly. Then use a soft brush to clean the surface of the abalone meat, especially the crevices, and be sure to brush it several times. Abalone can be steamed with minced garlic, or cooked in soup or porridge. The whole piece of abalone can be cut into cross-shaped slices, which makes it easier to cook and more flavorful.

If you are choosing dried abalone, then the main thing to consider is the place of origin. Japanese abalone has the best quality because abalone has a long growth cycle and firm meat. When choosing dried abalone, you should also look at the color. Light ivory yellow or light red is the best. Under the light or sunlight, good dried abalone will have a certain degree of transparency, smell lightly of seafood, and feel thick and not sticky. Moreover, good abalone generally does not have white salt powder on the surface, which means it has been cleaned.