UTILIZATION OF SEA-MUSSELS FOR FOOD 



By Irving A. Field 



During the past five summers the United States Bureau 

 of Fisheries has been conducting experiments at the Woods 

 Hole, Mass., laboratory to determine the food value of 

 certain hitherto unutilized marine products. The purpose 

 of the investigation is to place cheap, wholesome food within 

 reach of the masses and to increase the business of the 

 fisherman and packer. The importance of such a study is 

 obvious at this time when everyone is beginning to feel 

 the pinch of high prices and scarcity of food. 



Efifort has been made to find forms that are palatable, 

 digestible, nutritious and at the same time very abundant 

 and readily obtained. A species which conforms with these 

 requirements is the sea-mussel, Mytilus edulis, and it is to 

 this neglected shellfish that I wish to call your attention. 

 True, it is not an utterly disregarded food product, but its 

 palatability and high nutritive value are known to so few 

 individuals, especially Americans, and it is so abundant, 

 widely distributed and easily procured that I feel the im- 

 portance of making known its qualities. 



The mussel is clam-like in appearance with a much pointed 

 umbo or beak situated at the anterior end of the valves. 

 It varies from 2 to 4.5 inches in length and from 1 to 1.5 

 inches in diameter. The color of the shell proper varies 

 from violet to a pale blue. Externally it is covered with a 

 horny epidermis of shining blue-black. This species is dis- 

 tinguished from the horse mussel, Modiola modiola, which 

 it most closely resembles by the position of the umbo and 

 color of the epidermis. The umbo of the horse mussel is 

 located a short distance back from the tip of the shell and 

 the epidermis is brown instead of blue. 



Reproduction occurs at different times of the year accord- 

 ing to the locality and temperature of the water. In Long 



