Razor Clams

Name: Razor clams — long, narrow, straight-edged bivalves shaped like an old cut-throat razor, living in sandy beaches, such as the Atlantic jackknife clam (Ensis species) and the Pacific razor clam (Siliqua patula). They have sweet, tender, slightly chewy flesh.

Description

Razor clams burrow rapidly in wet sand, and are collected at low tide by clam diggers, in Washington State, Oregon and Alaska on the Pacific coast, and in Spain, Portugal, Italy, Britain and France on the Atlantic coast. In Spain, navajas are cooked simply on a hot griddle with garlic, parsley and lemon, and in Chile, razor clams (machas) are baked with Parmesan.

Razor clams are especially prone to accumulating domoic acid, a toxin produced by algae, and clamming on the Pacific coast is often closed because of it, with the toxin staying in the clams for longer than in other shellfish. Domoic acid causes amnesic shellfish poisoning, which can cause memory loss and be fatal.

Main nutrition value

Razor clams are low in fat, and provide protein, iron, vitamin B12, selenium, zinc and iodine.

How best to be consumed

Razor clams are cooked very quickly.

1. Rinse well, then grill on a hot plate or in a hot pan with the shells open for 1 to 3 minutes, with garlic, parsley and lemon.
2. Steam briefly, or slice into chowder, stir-fry, or fritters.
3. Cut off the dark parts, and avoid overcooking, which makes them tough.
4. Check local shellfish biotoxin alerts before harvesting your own, and never eat clams from closed beaches.
5. Buy from regulated suppliers.

Overconsumption could cause…

Razor clams are healthy in food amounts, but toxins are a particular concern.

1. Amnesic shellfish poisoning from domoic acid, which can cause vomiting, confusion, memory loss, and in severe cases death, and which cooking does not destroy.
2. Shellfish allergy, which can be severe and is usually lifelong, so anyone allergic must avoid shellfish and check labels.
3. Shellfish poisoning (paralytic, diarrhetic or amnesic) from toxins made by algae that bivalves filter from the water, which cooking does not destroy, so buy from regulated sources and follow local shellfish warnings.
4. Vibrio and norovirus infections from raw or undercooked shellfish, which can be serious in people with liver disease, diabetes or weak immunity.

GroupsShellfishMolluscsFresh

Related foodsAbaloneClamsCocklesGeoduckMusselsOysters

Wikipedia — Razor clam, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Razor_clam