Edible Snail Production in Europe

Abstract

The human population is growing; food production is becoming insufficient, and the growing awareness of the negative impact of traditional animal husbandry on the environment means that the search for alternative methods of providing animal protein is continuously underway. The breeding of edible snails seems to be a promising option. The most popular species of edible snails in Europe include the brown garden snail Cornu aspersum (Müller, 1774) (previously divided into two subspecies: Cornu aspersum aspersum (Müller, 1774) and Cornu aspersum maxima (Taylor, 1883)), as well as the Roman Snail—Helix pomatia Linnaeus, 1758. These animals are highly productive, require relatively little space, are easy to breed and their maintenance does not require large financial outlays. This review focuses on the prospects of food snail farming in Europe. It discusses the living conditions, the nutritional value of the snails’ meat, and the way of feeding the animals, paying particular attention to issues still not scientifically resolved, such as the need for micro and macro elements, as well as fat and carbohydrates.

La carne di chiocciola, un’antica fonte di proteine nella dieta umana

“…The ratio between n-6 and n-3 fatty acids is significantly higher than the recommended limit (20:1; recommendation n-6/n-3 = 5:1); other researchers have determined lower ratios for the meat of Cornu aspersum aspersum, Cornu aspersum maxima and Helix pomatia snails, namely 6.33, 7.79, and 5.87, respectively (Milinsk, 2003;Milinsk et al, 2006;Çağıltay, 2011;Rygało-Galewska et al, 2022). The ratio is also much higher than the values reported by Golob et al (2006) for the longissimus dorsi and biceps femoris muscles in pig (13.7 and 12.4, respectively) and triceps brachii muscle in cattle (2.9), and by Lušnic Polak et al (2017b) for horse meat (3.6).…”

“…Lušnic Polak et al (2017b) determined a PUFA/SFA ratio of 0.5 for horse meat, Golob et al (2006) reported 0.31 and 0.36 for longissimus dorsi and biceps femoris muscles in pig, and 0.25 for triceps brachii muscle in cattle. Meat with a ratio higher than 0.5 is nutritionally more favourable (Enser et al, 2001), which means that snail meat can be classified as a meat with a very favourable PUFA/SFA ratio (Çağıltay, 2011;Rygało-Galewska et al, 2022).…”

“…In international cuisine, there are various preparation methods and recipes for snail meat. Snails are used in very different forms as appetizers (Escargots de Bourgogne), soups (cream soup with snails), main dishes (snail caviar, Italian snails, snails with herb butter), in sauces, salads and even desserts (Willan, 1989;Rygało-Galewska, 2022).…”

A Critical Review of Snail Shell Material Modification for Applications in Wastewater Treatment

“…Shells help mollusks survive in extreme conditions, protecting them from the tremendous pressure on the seabed [ 83 ]. However, humans use snails only for meat through the food chain, and such a large amount of shells creates a large amount of waste for the environment [ 84 ]. The characteristics of snail shells were analyzed using FTIR, SEM, MAP, EDAX, and BET analyses in most studies [ 85 ].…”

Cryptomphalus aspersa Egg Extract Protects against Human Stem Cell Stress-Induced Premature Senescence

“…Among terrestrial gastropods, Helix snails are a famous and well-described genus [18]. Members of this genus are found in Europe, Mediterranean North Africa, and western Asia [19] and comprise four popular edible snail species: Helix aspersa (Cryptomphalus aspersa) and Helix pomatia (Escargot de Bourgogne), Helix lucorum (Turkish snail), and Helix vermiculata (Eobania vermiculata) [20]. Snail meat and eggs are considered delicacies and are characterised by excellent nutrient traits because of their high protein, low calories, and rich mineral and low fat content [21,22].…”