"As the autumn wind rises, the crab's legs begin to itch; when the chrysanthemum blooms, the scent of crab arrives." It's that time of year again for eating crabs. Autumn crabs are plump and delicious, and highly nutritious, but improper consumption can harm your health. In more severe cases, it can even be life-threatening.
News Hotspot: Eating a Dead Crab Nearly Cost a Man His Life
Recently, a 28-year-old man from Zhaodong experienced adverse reactions just two hours after eating a dead crab. His entire face swelled up like a pig's, and he had difficulty breathing. Fortunately, he sought medical attention in time, saved his life, and has since been discharged from the hospital after a full recovery.
It is reported that the man was dining at a restaurant where the owner gave him some unsold crabs. Seeing that the crabs were motionless, he assumed they had died recently and took one home to eat. As a result, this incident occurred.
Professional Explanation>>>
Dead crabs are highly susceptible to bacterial infection due to spoilage. One such bacterium is Proteus, which can decarboxylate protein in the human body, producing histamine. When histamine accumulates to a certain level, consumption can lead to poisoning, and in severe cases, can cause anaphylactic shock. Patients must seek medical attention immediately.
Reminder to Citizens: Always eat live crabs; dead crabs are not edible. Additionally, crabs should not be consumed in excess, as it can easily lead to diarrhea, stomach pain, and other ailments. People with high blood lipids, high blood sugar, gout, poor gastrointestinal function, and a weak constitution should also eat fewer crabs.
Editor's Science Popularization: The following four parts of a crab should not be eaten:
1. Crab Gills: These are the two rows of soft, eyebrow-like structures located on the crab's abdomen, commonly known as "crab eyebrows." They are the crab's respiratory organs used to filter water and are very dirty. The triangular crab white under the gills should also not be eaten;
2. Crab Intestine: This contains the crab's excrement. After breaking open the crab's body, you will see black strands in the area of the crab roe and meat, which must be removed;
3. Crab Stomach: This is a triangular packet hidden in the crab roe, containing the crab's excrement. It is concealed in the heap of crab roe under the crab's shell and should be discarded after eating the roe;
4. Crab Heart: Also called the crab's hexagon plate. It is hexagonal in shape, hidden in the thickest part of the yellow膏 (hepatopancreas) in the middle of the crab's abdomen, and is considered the coldest part, so it must not be eaten. Lift the crab shell, and you will see a layer of black membrane; the white, plate-shaped crab heart is located between the yellow膏 and this black membrane.
Get the Correct Precautions for Eating Crabs One by One√
★ Eating Dead Crabs Can Cause Poisoning
When a crab is dying or dead, the histidine in its body decomposes to produce histamine. Histamine is a toxic substance that is not easily destroyed. Therefore, never eat dead crabs.
★ Buy Fresh Crabs
When selecting crabs, you should "look at five things": look at the color; look at the individual size; look at the belly; look at the crab's hair; and look at its movement. The crab should have a blue back, white belly, golden claws, and yellow hair; the individual should be large and robust; the belly should protrude outward; the crab's legs should be covered in hair; and it should be agile and active. Only crabs that meet these five criteria should be purchased.
★ Steamed or Boiled Crabs are the Safest
Eating steamed or boiled crabs is the most hygienic and safe method. When steaming or boiling crabs, be sure to cook them for at least another 20 minutes after the water boils to ensure they are thoroughly cooked and to kill any bacteria in the crab meat.
★ Some People Should Not Eat Crabs
Patients with colds, fever, stomach pain, and diarrhea will see their condition worsen if they eat crabs. People with chronic gastritis, duodenal ulcers, cholecystitis, gallstones, or active hepatitis should avoid eating crabs to prevent aggravating their condition. Crab roe is high in cholesterol, so people with coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, or high blood lipids should eat less or no crab roe to avoid worsening their condition. People with a constitution prone to allergies may experience nausea, vomiting, and hives after eating crab roe. Those with a weak spleen and stomach should eat fewer or no crabs.
Must-Know! These Dead Aquatic Products Should Not Be Eaten→ →
1. Soft-shelled Turtle
Commonly known as soft-shelled turtle, water turtle, or turtle, it is an oviparous reptile that lives both in water and on land. The meat of the soft-shelled turtle is delicious and nutritious, with effects of clearing heat and nourishing yin, calming the liver and extinguishing wind, and softening hardness and resolving masses. The soft-shelled turtle contains a relatively high amount of histidine, which is why it tastes so delicious. However, when it dies, the histidine rapidly decomposes into toxic histamine, which can cause poisoning. Therefore, dead soft-shelled turtles should not be eaten to prevent poisoning.
2. River Crab
The river crab, known scientifically as *Eriocheir sinensis*, is a valuable freshwater product with a delicious taste and high nutritional value. Crabs are highly immune scavengers that consume a lot of bacteria and viruses, but these are suppressed by the crab's immune system. Once the crab dies—or even when it is near death—bacteria and viruses multiply rapidly, and some biological toxins are produced.
3. Swamp Eel
Also known as rice field eel, long fish, or sea snake, it is a specialty of China. Swamp eel has a fresh and delicious taste with few, thick, fine, and tender bones. There is a Chinese saying, "The swamp eel during Minor Heat is as valuable as ginseng." Although the swamp eel is highly nutritious, it must be fresh to be eaten. Dead swamp eels should absolutely not be consumed. This is because the protein structure of the swamp eel contains a lot of histamine. Once the eel dies, its protein structure rapidly decomposes, and bacteria take the opportunity to convert the histamine into a toxic substance. When eaten, this can cause poisoning, with symptoms ranging from dizziness, headache, palpitations, and chest tightness to low blood pressure in severe cases.
4. Dead Fish
The dead fish referred to here are not all dead fish. Fish commonly sold in wet markets that were originally alive mostly died from hypoxia, and their nutritional content has not changed in a short time, so they can be eaten. However, the cause of death for fish in rivers can be complex; they may have died from chemical pollutants. If the cause of death is unknown, do not eat them to prevent mild poisoning.