FAQs

It's always nice to have the upper hand on information that not everyone else knows...

1.)    What is the shelf life of mussels and how should I store them?
The shelf life is 7 to 10 days with proper handling.  They should be stored at 34-36 degrees Fahrenheit.  Ice may be spread over them as long as the melted water is allowed to drain.  The colder you keep the mussels, the longer they will last.

2.)    How should I prepare mussels prior to cooking?  
Keep mussels iced and well chilled until you are ready to use them.  Remove any byssus (beards) that may be present by using a sharp pull.  Rinse well to remove any superficial sand that may be on the outside of the shell and could fall inside the meats during cooking.  Your mussels are now ready for cooking.

3.)    What nutritional value does a mussel hold?  
No shellfish is more nutritious than a mussel.  Mussel meats are one of the least expensive and most nutritious meats on the world market.  Another remarkable benefit of eating mussels was reported in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition.  This study showed that a diet of mussels could actually lower blood cholesterol levels! Consider the benefits of the statistics below...

3.5 ounces (100) grams 

Source: United States Department of Agriculture Handbook No.8., Composition of Foods, 1963

4.)    What effect does spawning have on the mussel quality?  
All mussels spawn.  Minor spawning takes place periodically during the year and is the reason for minor variations in meat yield.  Large scale  community spawning follows predictable cycles and is more or less intense depending on the year.  1999 was a year of intense spawning and might explain why all of us down on the farm are so tired.  Anyway, mussels north of Cape Cod are influenced more by the Labrador current and the community spawn occurs during the spring and summer.  Mussels south of Cape Cod are influenced by the Gulf Stream and spawn in the fall of the year. 

This is one of the key reasons we source from farms all over the entire northeast.

5.)    Why do some shellfish have pearls and are they valuable?  
Shellfish grown for food usually do not have pearls.  If they do, they are found in older animals and typically have no value.  There is, however, a story of a pearl found in a R.I. oyster in 1998 that was worth thousands.  Pearls are formed when shellfish calcify a sand particle trapped in their mantle (flesh).  Pearl farmers intentionally place irritants into the flesh and  grow the shellfish for the pearl which is eventually produced.  Their quality determines their value.  Their proprietary  process is the coveted secret of generations of pearl farming families.  If you find a pearl in any of our shellfish, return it to us and we will let you know what it is worth.

6.)     What is a White Water Mussel?  
These are by far our most popular mussel because of their flavor. We start with a bottom cultivated mussel and give it an extra year of growth as compared to the Rope Cultivated mussels.  This extra year produces a larger mussel with greater lipid development, which contributes to their flavor and  their amazing cholesterol lowering benefits.   Immediately upon arrival to our HACCP certified facility the mussels are graded by size and have the beards removed using a custom designed de-byssing machine which gently pulls and "shaves" off the beard with no negative effects on shelf life. The graded mussels are then places in our sterilized seawater system for 24 hours so they can purge themselves of all sand and grit while, at the same time, lower their bacteria levels.  The result is a clean mussel both inside and out with a flavor profile that true mussel connoisseurs can appreciate.  Upon receipt of your order, the mussels are removed from the seawater tanks and are again graded for size consistency (Whitewaters are 2 - 3").  A final run over the de-bearding machine and the mussels are now truly Restaurant Ready!  Whitewater Mussels are packed in quarter bushel (12.5#) bags, 2 per case for a total of 25#. These smaller bags solve rotation problems and help keep the mussels tightly closed to retain moisture. We do all the prep work for you because we understand that your time, money and peace-of-mind are important.

7.)    Some of my shellfish have gaped open.  Are they dead?  
Shellfish that have been properly handled yet have gaped open are not necessarily dead.  To reassure yourself they are alive, rinse them under cold tap water and they should close. If a shellfish is opened widely and/or has an odor, discard it. To help prevent gaping, make sure to keep the bag closed on the shellfish tightly, keep refrigerated and iced.

8.)    What is a cultivated mussel?  
From a farming perspective, rope mussels are grown suspended in the water column from a range of flotation devices and on a variety of substrates. The materials and approach is site and farm specific. Bottom cultivated mussels grow on the seafloor in areas that naturally support their growth in large quantities. Depending upon the location, formal leasing of the water column and/or the seafloor may be required and desired to conduct mussel farming. Some locations rely on natural mussel settlement and the harvest is open to license holders with a harvest history. Formal leases tend to be the law of the land whereas the latter approach is more the law of the sea.  If you want more information on cultured shellfish, click to the World Aquaculture Society at www.was.org .  They have a clearinghouse of information on the hundreds of species which are grown throughout the world.

10.)    Why should I buy my mussels from American Mussel Harvesters?  
Quality. Variety.  Daily Service.  Fun.