Don't touch! Don't eat! Be cautious of these "dangerous snails" when trying spring delicacies

Qingming snail, compete for the fattest goose. Right now is the season when snails are at their plumpest. Take a bite—then you can’t stop. Have you got that?

(One of spring’s fresh treats: stir-fried snails)

Don’t rush and start salivating—because not every snail can be turned into this kind of deliciousness! Some “buddies” that look a lot like snails can’t even be touched, because they may pose a fatal risk. The golden apple snail is one of the most common examples. Recently, in multiple areas across the country, there have been new sightings again of the invasive species golden apple snail in local waterways.

Beware of these pink egg clutches!

Golden apple snails can carry up to 6,000 parasites

These strings of pink “grapes” are the egg clutches of the invasive species golden apple snail. Right now is their peak period for laying eggs and being active—an “ecological assassin” in the waters.

After the golden apple snail first appeared in China in the 1980s, it spread across many places thanks to its strong reproductive capacity and adaptability. Not only does it damage aquatic ecosystems, it also carries large numbers of parasites.

According to freshwater aquaculture researchers in Jiangsu Province, a single golden apple snail may harbor as many as 3,000 to 6,000 Guangzhou roundworms. If you eat golden apple snails that have not been thoroughly cooked, the parasites will invade the human central nervous system, leading to severe nervous system damage and even death.

Teach you how to distinguish golden apple snails and pond snails at a glance

In addition to not touching these pink egg clutches, there are also some clear differences between adult golden apple snails and pond snails.

Appearance

Golden apple snail: the shell opening is large, with no obvious black border; the snail body is rounder and more bulging; the spire is lower, and the tail is flatter and shorter.

Pond snail: the shell opening has a black border; the shell is taller; the tail is sharper and longer.

Snail meat

Golden apple snail meat is yellow-brown.

Pond snail meat is blue-brown.

△ Left: golden apple snail meat; Right: pond snail meat

Comprehensive prevention and control carried out in multiple places across Jiangsu

Every year, to prevent the “recurrence” of golden apple snails, in multiple places across Jiangsu, people are actively taking action, with prevention as the focus. In Nanjing, multiple departments work together to carry out routine prevention and control of golden apple snails using methods such as manual cleanup and biological control. In Yixing, relying on the river-and-lake chief responsibility system, they conduct patrol inspections and take measures such as manually removing snails and eggs and using biological pesticides, effectively building a barrier for aquatic ecological safety. The Suzhou Plant Protection and Plant Inspection Station, together with research units from universities, organizes a symposium on green prevention and control technologies for golden apple snails, promoting joint prevention and control across the whole province. In Rudong County of Nantong City, they have also tried “using fish to control snails,” releasing sandfish to carry out biological control. The National Agro-Tech Center has also issued the “Technical Guidance Opinions on Prevention and Control of Golden Apple Snails in Farmland,” providing guidance for scientific prevention and control.

One can be deadly!

Threaded murexes are banned from sale and consumption by national order

Besides the golden apple snail, another type of highly venomous snail—threaded murex—has also begun to appear in relevant waters. In Guangdong, Zhejiang, and other places, multiple areas have issued urgent warnings: this kind of snail has long been banned by the state from being purchased, processed, and sold. Do not accidentally eat it out of greed for freshness!

Threaded murexes are mainly distributed in coastal areas. They do not produce venom themselves, but they accumulate tetrodotoxin in the ocean—this toxin cannot be destroyed by high-temperature steaming or pickling, and there is no specific antidote. After eating, it can cause neurotoxic poisoning, with symptoms such as numb lips and breathing difficulty. In severe cases, it can lead to respiratory failure and death; just one can reach a lethal dosage.

The appearance features of threaded murex include a pointed, slender tail, about 1 centimeter long, about 0.5 centimeter wide—about the size of a fingernail. The shell surface often has 1 to 3 purple-brown or red-yellow spiral bands. The surface pattern looks like woven fabric, and the shell opening is white. Residents should pay attention to identifying it.

Important reminders

1. Do not arbitrarily collect or catch wild snails; do not buy or eat snails of unknown origin. If you find threaded murexes being sold, report it promptly;

2. Even pond snails from regular sources must be thoroughly cleaned, fully cooked, and only then eaten;

3. If you find pink egg clutches of golden apple snails in river channels or along field ridges, do not handle them yourself—report to the local agriculture and water affairs departments in a timely manner.

Reporter, Jiangsu Radio and Television Litchi News Center | Dong Wen, Yang Rong

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