Mussels are a popular shellfish in American and European cuisines, highly accessible based on their abundance, versatility in methods of cooking and the short time in which they can be prepared.
Care should be taken when cooking live mussels however; when cleaning mussels they should be checked over, and any cracked or open shells (which do not close upon tapping) should be discarded.
Most mussels purchased today will have been farmed in a controlled environment, so less likely to have come into contact with the usual contaminents.
Mussels and Health
Mussels are very low in fat (2.2 g fat per 100 g of mussel meat) and the average portion of mussels contains only 90 calories. They are excellent sources of protein, iron, zinc and vitamin C. Unlike other seafoods however, they are not high in omega 3 fatty acids.http://www.discovermussels.com/health-benefits
Safe Mussel Consumption
Mussels become toxic to humans soon after they die. They should be alive at the inception of cooking to maintain their safety. When mussels are exposed to too much air, their shells will quickly shut. After cooking, any shells which will not easily open should be discarded, as these have likely died before the cooking process and are not safe to eat.
The majority of edible mussels are farmed, not wild. Though catching wild mussels may be intriguing, they are more likely to be contaminated based on the water they live in. Farmed mussels are harvested in a controlled environment and are far less likely to contain contaminants.
Green Shell Mussel Farming
A New Zealand mussel farm, shown at harvesting time. The care taken to ensure mussels are ready for harvest, and the short time from harvesting to processing (usually within 24 hours], ensures that mussels are as fresh as when they came out of the water. One harvesting vessel can process up to 100 tons of mussels in one day.
