Shellfish
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2008-07-14T18:06:56Z
Tj9991
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Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/24.90.203.254|24.90.203.254]] to last version by Tj9991 (using [[WP:HG|Huggle]])
{{commercial mollusc topics}}
[[Image:Cooked_mussels_DSC09244.JPG|thumb|200px|left|Cooked [[mussel]]s]]
'''Shellfish''' is a culinary term for aquatic [[invertebrate]]s used as [[food]]: [[Mollusca|mollusc]]s, [[crustacean]]s, and [[echinoderm]]s. Both saltwater and freshwater invertebrates are considered shellfish. ''Shellfish'' is a misnomer, because these invertebrates are definitely not fish.
The term ''finfish'' is sometimes used to distinguish ordinary (vertebrate) [[fish]] from shellfish.
Some do not include shrimp, crab, or lobster in the category of "shellfish."[http://textonly.mde.state.md.us/CitizensInfoCenter/FishandShellfish/harvesting_notices/index.asp]
Molluscs commonly used as food include the [[clam]], [[mussel]], [[oyster]], [[Periwinkle (mollusc)|winkle]], and [[scallop]].
Some crustaceans commonly eaten are the [[shrimp]], [[prawn]], [[lobster]], [[crayfish]], and [[crab]].
Echinoderms are not eaten as commonly as mollusks and crustaceans. In [[Asia]], [[sea cucumber]] and [[sea urchin]]s are eaten.
Edible [[cephalopods]], such as [[squid]], [[octopus]], and [[cuttlefish]] and terrestrial [[snail]]s, though all molluscs, are sometimes classified as shellfish and sometimes not.
Shellfish are among the most common [[food allergy|food allergens]].<ref>{{cite web | title = Common Food Allergens | url = http://www.foodallergy.org/allergens/index.html | publisher = The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network | accessdate = 2007-06-24 }}</ref>
The plural "shellfishes" has been used to mean "types of shellfish".<ref>p119, ''Fishermen, a community living from the sea'', by Sally Festing, [[Shaun Tyas]], [[Stamford]], 1999, ISBN 1 9000289 22 9</ref>
==Usage in various cuisines==
{{globalize}}
Archaeology has shown that humans have been making use of shellfish for thousands of years. Nowadays shellfish dishes are a feature of all the [[cuisine]]s of the world, with a few exceptions.
In [[Japanese cuisine]], chefs often use shellfish and their [[roe]]. [[Sushi]] and [[sashimi]] feature both raw and cooked shellfish.
Lobster in particular is a great delicacy in the [[USA|United States]], where families in the northeast region make them into the centerpiece of a [[New England clam bake|clam bake]], usually for a special occasion. Lobsters are eaten on much of the East Coast; the [[American lobster]] ranges from [[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]] down to about the [[Carolinas]], but is most often associated with [[Maine]]. A typical meal involves boiling the lobster with some slight seasoning and then serving with drawn butter, [[baked potato]], and [[corn on the cob]].
[[Clam digging|Clamming]] is done both commercially and recreationally along the Northeast coastline of America. Various type of clams are incorporated into the [[cuisine of New England]]. Notable is the soft-shelled clam, which is eaten [[Fried clam|fried]] or [[New England Clam Boil|steamed]], where they are called '[[soft-shell Clam|steamers]].' Many types of clams can be used for [[clam chowder]], but [[quahog]]s, a hard shelled clam also know as a chowder clam, are often used because the long cooking time softens its tougher meat.
[[Image:Zoo 09 bg 120306.jpg|thumb|Scallop Sandwich served in San Diego. ]]
The [[Chesapeake Bay]] and [[Maryland]] region has generally been associated more with crabs, but in recent years the area has been trying to reduce its catch of [[blue crabs]] as wild populations have been depleted. This has not, however, stemmed the demand: Maryland style [[crabcake]]s are still a well known treat in crabhouses all over the bay, though the catch now comes from points farther south.
In the [[Southeastern United States|Southeast]], and particularly the gulf states, [[shrimping]] is an important industry. Copious amounts of shrimp are harvested each year in the [[Gulf of Mexico]] and the [[Atlantic Ocean]] to satisfy a national demand for shrimp. Locally, prawns and shrimp are often deep fried; in the Cajun and Creole kitchens of [[Louisiana]], shrimp and prawns are a common addition to traditional recipes like [[jambalaya]] and certain stews. [[Crayfish|Crawdads]] are a well known and much eaten delicacy here, often boiled in huge pots and heavily spiced.
In many major cities with active fishing ports, raw oyster bars are also a feature of shellfish consumption. When served freshly shucked (opened) and iced, one may find a liquid inside the shell, called the liqueur. This is a primary feature of the raw bar, and should be sampled, if not enjoyed. Some believe that oysters have the properties of an [[aphrodisiac]]. "[[mountain oyster|Rocky mountain oysters]]" is a euphemism for bull testicles, as their appearance and preparation is similar.
Inter-tidal herbivorous shellfish such as mussels and clams can help people reach a healthy balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fats in their diets, instead of the current (Western diets) 1:17. <sup> [http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/4441002d 37]</sup> ([[Omega-3_fatty_acid|Omega-3:6 ratio and human health]]). For this reason the eating of Shellfish is often encouraged by dietitians.
[[Judaism|Jewish]] [[Kosher Law]] traditions forbid the eating of shellfish. A rational basis taken up by some nonreligious people is the tendency of some shellfish to feed on waste or accumulate heavy metals or toxins in their tissues. Another is that some of these dishes are consumed raw (oysters, mussels, clams and shrimp, most notably) and have the potential to cause serious illness from [[shellfish poisoning]]. Some people suffer from potentially-fatal allergies to shellfish.
Some interpretations of [[Islamic dietary laws]] forbid eating shellfish.
[[Seventh-day Adventist Church|Seventh-day Adventists]] do not eat shellfish.
[[Leviticus]] (11:9-12) prohibits the consumption of shellfish.
==See also==
*[[Seafood]]
*[[Unclean animals]]
37. Robson, A. 2006. "Shellfish view of omega-3 and sustainable fisheries." Nature 444, 1002
[http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/4441002d Shellfish in NATURE]
==References==
<references/>
==External links==
{{cookbook}}
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/back_to_basics/shellfish.shtml BBC Guide to Preparing and Eating Shellfish]
*[http://www.cefas.co.uk/Publications/shellfishnews/default.htm Shellfish News]
*[http://www.hsrl.rutgers.edu/ Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory] at Rutgers University
*[http://www.shellfish.org.uk/shellfish_gallery.htm Shellfish Gallery] from the Shellfish Association of Great Britain
*[http://www.ocean.udel.edu/MAS/seafood/shellfish.html Shellfish Facts]
*University of Washington Libraries Digital Collections -- [http://content.lib.washington.edu/cgi-bin/queryresults.exe?CISOOP=adv&CISORESTMP=%2Fsite-templates%2Fsearch_results-sub.html&CISOVIEWTMP=%2Fsite-templates%2Fitem_viewer.html&CISOMODE=thumb&CISOGRID=thumbnail%2CA%2C1%3Btitle%2CA%2C1%3Bsubjec%2CA%2C0%3Bdescri%2C200%2C0%3B0%2CA%2C0%3B10&CISOBIB=title%2CA%2C1%2CN%3Bsubjec%2CA%2C0%2CN%3Bdescri%2CK%2C0%2CN%3B0%2CA%2C0%2CN%3B0%2CA%2C0%2CN%3B10&CISOTHUMB=3%2C5&CISOTITLE=10&CISOPARM=%2Ffishimages%3Asubjec%3Ashellfish&x=25&y=6 Freshwater and Marine Image Bank -- Shellfish] An ongoing digital collection of images related to shellfish.
{{fisheries and fishing}}
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[[Category:Fish products]]
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