If you can manage to pry the shell open, it is safe to eat. The challenge lies in opening them, which is why many people choose to discard them. Attempting to break the shell may result in bits of shell mixing into the mussel. Interestingly, the adductor muscles of these mussels are often stronger than those of their counterparts that do open during cooking, which is why they stay closed. This does not mean they were dead or unsafe to eat before being cooked.

Mussels will naturally open when they are out of water. If you notice a mussel gaping, you can encourage it to close by rinsing it under cold, fresh running water or tapping it against a hard surface. If the mussel remains open after these actions, it may be dead, and you should discard it.

Traditionally, it was believed that the ideal months to eat mussels were from September to April. This belief stemmed from the fact that summer months usually see higher phytoplankton levels, which can lead to potential toxin accumulation. However, with modern farming techniques and regulatory oversight, phytoplankton and biotoxin levels are now carefully monitored, allowing mussels to be safely harvested year-round.

All UK supermarkets now offer pre-cooked mussels. Similar to cooking fresh mussels at home, the shells will naturally open when they are cooked. These pre-cooked mussels are vacuum-sealed and cooked to ensure freshness. During the packaging process, the air is removed, which can cause the shells to close, but they will spring open once the package is opened. Rest assured, these mussels are perfectly safe to eat.

The Greek’s first introduced the idea of Oysters being a revered food and an aphrodisiac (a term which gets its name for the Greek goddess Aphrodite).  And there is a little truth in this; oysters are a rich source of zinc, which is crucial to your ability to make testosterone – the hormone responsible not just for sex drive and vitality, but also for keeping you confident and lean. In fact, oysters are the best source of nutritional testosterone.

Although pearls ARE cultivated in oysters, many pearls used in jewellery (especially fresh water ones) are produced in clams and mussels, not oysters as commonly believed.

The myth of fish as a brain food goes back to a 19th century Harvard University scientist who discovered that phosphorus is abundant in the human brain, and from this fact, wrongly concluded that a diet of fish should increase the human IQ.  However, the vitamins found in oysters do promote a sharper memory –so will keep your brain healthy but not improve your IQ!

People have been warned not to eat clams, mussels, crabs, lobsters, and other shellfish unless they are alive when cooked. In terms of flavour, this is a good advise, but shellfish don’t become toxic when they die, the same applies to Oysters.

Definitely not true!    Oysters are just as delicious cooked.  Check out our recipe page ‘Dish it Up’ for ideas.   We also highly recommend BBQ Oysters!!!

Yes! they really do, and this helps to support healthy marine ecosystems.   They are natural filter feeders meaning that they filter micronutrients from the water like Algae and plankton, helping to keep the water healthy for other marine life.