Mollusks
There are over 130,000 species of mollusks, varying in size a few million to over 20 m. However, only rather small group of this vast phyla are commercially important.
The edible mollusks can be divided into three main groups: univalves having a single shell, bivalves which have two shells, and cephalopods.
The first group consists of snail, winkles, whelks and abalones, the second of oysters, mussels and clams and the third of squid, cuttlefish an octopus.
Mollusks form about 7% of the total world catch and play an important role in international trade.
The majority of uni- or bivalves are commonly consumed fresh, sold on the market with the shell on. However, freezing as well as canning of shelled meat, plays an increasingly important role.
Cephalopods exist practically in all waters, exhibiting considerable variety of form and eating characteristics. Texture is of particular concern.
Cephalopods are marketed in many forms mainly as fresh, canned, dried, slated, and smoked. The most important of all cephalopods are squids. Most commercially exploited squids belong to two main families: Ommastrephidae and Loliginidae.
The most important single species are Todarodes pacificus and Ommastrephes bartrami.
Mollusks
