Horseshoe Crab

Should You Eat Horseshoe Crab

The horseshoe crab is undoubtedly one of the strangest looking marine creatures still in existence. In fact it is often described as a living fossil as they have been around since the Paleozoic era more then five hundred million of years ago, far earlier then mankind. They were found in shallow seas and oceans at the same time as trilobites which are now known to be a close relative though unfortunately are extinct. If you are wondering whether or not you can eat horseshoe crab then the information discussed below should help to present a clearer picture.

During the Mesozoic era, approximately two hundred million years ago dinosaurs roamed the earth and many marine reptiles became extinct. It was around this time that the first mammals raised their heads. The shallow oceans were an excellent habitat for the ancestors of today's horseshoe crab species, of which there are four remaining. At the end of this era there was a massive extinction that not only wiped out the dinosaurs but also more than half the world's marine invertebrates. Remarkably the horseshoe crab managed to survive this time of great change. Following on from this age came the Cenozoic era which ushered in the modern times of flowering plants and mammals. Though this era underwent a number of ice ages and major geological changes, humans flourished and the horseshoe crab survived.

Fast forward to today and we discover that two species of the horseshoe crab, Tachypleus tridentatus and Carcinscorpius rotundicauda are thought of as a delicacy in south Asia, particularly in Hong Kong, China, and Vietnam. They are harvested by fisherman in China and Malaysia and sold to restaurants and consumers in areas where the female individuals are highly sought after for their large amount of meat as well as their eggs.

In the US the horseshoe crab is sold for only a couple of dollars as bait for whelk and eels, but in Asia a precooked individual can go for between twenty five to fifty dollars in specialized seafood shops. The market price is typically lower, around six to fourteen dollars.

In recent history the species was harvested and used as a fertilizer by native peoples around the world. This property of the crab was utilized to full effect by fertilizer industries in North America until the 1950s.

Although many experts and doctors would suggest staying clear of consuming horse shoe crab it is quite possible to eat them on a regular basis. It is important to ensure that the person preparing

the delicacy is familiar with the correct procedure as otherwise it is possible to fall sick if you were to consume the wrong parts or organs. Today it is a species that is becoming more common in seafood restaurants tanks not just in south Asia but around the world.

In actuality, the horseshoe crab contains very few edible parts; it is the roe or eggs which are generally eaten. Though it is a large creature there is very little fleshy meat unlike on other crab species. Usually the crab would be grilled and then the roe consumed either by itself or with other dishes.

 The belly of the horseshoe crab is where you will find the green and orange colored roe. It has been suggested that usually the orange roe has the better taste though some people prefer the green eggs. Be warned that if you were to attempt to prepare the dish by yourself you may end up getting food poisoning unless you have prior experience of preparing the dish.

In most cases were poisoning has occurred it is down to the consumption of tetrodotoxin by mistake. It is also possible that some people may suffer an allergic reaction similar to that what occurs when other crab species or shrimps are eaten. To minimize the danger it is best to avoid young individuals.

It would be wrong to believe that the roe of the horse shoe crab tastes anything like caviar. In fact the taste is often described as being rubbery and overly salty. Though an exotic species it can also be described as being alien like in taste! This perhaps is down to the blue blood found in its body.

Today there is extensive research into the medicinal properties of the horseshoe crab. There is research being carried out into the potential cancer reducing effects of this most ancient of species. Also compounds from the crab have been used with great results in reducing bacterial infections and related conditions.

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