ask about pepper disease

[higgs]

I bought several living blue crabs from farmer's market,

they are all females and I steam the whole living crab about 20 mins.

I eat up the eggs in the shell first and then I find there

are lots of "pepper speck" throughout the crab's meat

so I stop and discard them.


I search and find this is called "pepper disease" and the

description is scaring...


I wonder if that is really safe to eat? (steaming 20 mins)

since I ate the eggs on the shell-side, see attached picture,

those "eggs"(sorry for confusion) are marked as #1,#2,#3



but I didn't see those "pepper specks" on the shell-side when I ate.

there are a lot on the meat-side.


PS: I keep some "pepper speck" meat frozen in fridge

where I should send them to inspect? if necessary?


big thanks!

[Mr. Ray III]

I bought several living blue crabs from farmer's market,

they are all females and I steam the whole living crab about 20 mins.

I eat up the eggs in the shell first and then I find there
are lots of "pepper speck" throughout the crab's meat

so I stop and discard them.


I search and find this is called "pepper disease" and the

description is scaring...


I wonder if that is really safe to eat? (steaming 20 mins)

since I ate the eggs on the shell-side, but I didn't see

those "pepper specks" on the shell-side when I ate.

there are a lot on the meat-side.


PS: I keep some "pepper speck" meat frozen in fridge

where I should send them to inspect? if necessary?


big thanks!

Eggs?  Are they two orange things?  If they are, those are ovaries.......

[jack1747]

"Pepper Spot" Disease

Pepper Spot Disease is caused when a crab becomes infected with a parasite, and then that parasite becomes infected by another parasite (called a hyperparasite.) The disease is easily seen as tiny black specks (approximately 0.5mm in diameter) which are visible throughout the crab's tissues.
Initially, the crab becomes infected by the parasitic flatworm (fluke) Microphallus bassodactylus. Next, the encysted fluke becomes infected by the parasitic protozoan Urosporidium crescens. The very small, brownish, protozoan multiplies inside the larval worm and increases in size until the worm is completely consumed and replaced by spores. The large number of dark spores distinguishes each cyst as a visible black speck and results in the condition called "buckshot," "pepper spots," or "pepper" crabs.

Crabs are not affected by the disease but it can affect the aesthetics of the meat by making it appear unappetizing. However, the cooking process kills the parasites and renders the crabmeat completely safe to eat.

"Pepper spot" is common on the Chesapeake Bay's Eastern Shore (affecting more than 30 percent of crabs from some locations.) It appears be related to water salinity. The disease is spread by any of four species of snails which are found in shallow low-salinity estuaries. The infected snails release the infective free-swimming fluke larva (cercaria) which penetrate the crab. Many crabs are infected with the fluke which can barely be seen without a microscope. It isn't until the fluke itself becomes infected with the protozoan hyperparasite, becoming visible, that people exhibit apprehension (Jeff Shields, VIMS.)

 http://www.bluecrab.info/diseases.html

[higgs]

Eggs?  Are they two orange things?  If they are, those are ovaries.......

sorry for the confusion I put a picture in my post, see those #1,#2,#3 marked

that is what i mean "the eggs in the shell-side"

[bayou boy]

sorry for the confusion I put a picture in my post, see those #1,#2,#3 marked

that is what i mean "the eggs in the shell-side"

pics look like a normal fat and heavy female crab to me.black/brown patches under the points is common on heavy females..

[flounderpounder]

yellow is mustard....orange is just nasty stuff...blechhhhk  to each his own....i wouldnt eat any peppered meat....jmo

[KI Crabber]

As a kid we ate crabs with pepper disease every spring and fall on Taylor's Island. Slaughter Creek crabs had a lot of it. It doesn't change the taste or texture at all. It's just a visual thing.

[flounderpounder]

As a kid we ate crabs with pepper disease every spring and fall on Taylor's Island. Slaughter Creek crabs had a lot of it. It doesn't change the taste or texture at all. It's just a visual thing.

I guess that explains alot...

[KI Crabber]

I guess that explains alot...

But not enough!

[Ronster]

orange is just nasty stuff...

You know not what you speak of...