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What is the patella or sea patella?
The patella, or rather the limpets, are organisms of animal origin that abundantly populate the mesolitoral plan of the whole Mediterranean Basin and of various oceanic areas.
Gasteropod molluscs of the Eocastropoda subclass, limpets are closely related to the abalone or ear of Venus, and in general can be considered true "seafood".
On the other hand, the limpets are not all the same. The species of greatest food interest for humans - to which we will refer in this article - is P. ferruginea, which populates the coasts of the Western Mediterranean Sea and is more abundant in Corsica, Sardinia, Morocco, Algeria and Southern Spain; unfortunately, today it is considered to be at risk of extinction. Other very common limpets are: P. nigra, P. ulyssiponensis etc.
From a nutritional point of view, the sea patella belongs to the first fundamental food group. The bibliography does not offer much information on its chemical content but it is likely to think that it is low in fat and low in calories, even though it is rich in proteins with a high biological value. The vitamin profile of the water-soluble substances of group B is satisfactory, as is the contribution of certain minerals - for example iodine.
Known for its delicacy, the patella is enjoyed by connoisseurs especially raw, often cultured and eaten on the spot.
Nutritional Properties
Nutritional properties of the patella or sea patella
The patella is a product of fishing that falls within the first fundamental group of foods. Once part of the poor fish category, today it is a luxury ingredient because it is very difficult to find - being protected.
The patella is an unlikely low-energy food, nutritional property mainly due to the low lipid concentration, despite the excellent protein intake. Calories are therefore supplied mainly by peptides, followed by low concentrations of lipids and irrelevant or almost carbohydrates. Proteins have a high biological value - they contain all the essential amino acids compared to the human model - fatty acids are predominantly unsaturated - as we have anticipated, with an excellent percentage of biologically active semi-essential polyunsaturated EPA and DHA - and carbohydrates are simple.
The fibers are absent and the cholesterol should be well present. Lactose and gluten are completely absent. The concentration of purines is abundant, while histamine should be moderate. Being a highly protein food, it is also a significant source of phenylalanine amino acid. The patella should be rich in water-soluble vitamins of group B and probably also of vitamin D (calciferol). Among minerals, in addition to iodine, iron and phosphorus concentrations are likely to be interesting.
Patella is an organism that feeds on algae, therefore the accumulation of mercury and methylmercury is limited; on the other hand, raw consumption is potentially subject to contamination by hepatitis A, Vibrio cholerae, Salmonella typhi and paratyphi viruses etc.
Diet
Patelle in the diet
Patella is a food suitable for most diets. Very proteic but not easily digestible, it is inadequate for the diet of subjects with digestive complications such as dyspepsia, gastritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, gastric ulcer or duodenal ulcer. The patella is a food suitable for slimming diets, which must be low-calorie and normolipidic. Being very thin, this mollusk can be cooked using extra virgin olive oil also in nutritional therapy against obesity. The abundance of high biological value proteins makes the patella ideal in the diet of malnourished, weakened or with an increased need for essential amino acids. This type of food is advisable in the case of very high intensity sports activity, especially in the disciplines of strength or with a very important muscular hypertrophied component, and for all particularly prolonged aerobic disciplines. The patella is also suitable for breastfeeding, pathological intestinal malabsorption and in old age - in which eating disorders and decreased intestinal absorption tend to create a protein deficit. EPA and DHA, semi-essential but biologically active omega 3, are very important for:
- The constitution of cell membranes
- The development of the nervous system and the eyes - in the fetus and in children
- Prevention and treatment of some metabolic pathologies - hypertriglyceridemia, arterial hypertension, etc.
- The maintenance of cognitive functions in old age
- Reduction of some symptoms of neurosis - depressive, etc.
Due to the absence of gluten and lactose, the patella is relevant in the diet for celiac disease and for intolerance to milk sugar. The abundance of purines makes it undesirable, in considerable portions, in the nutritional regimen for hyperuricemia, above all of a serious nature - with gouty attacks - and in that of calculosis or renal urinary lithiasis. As far as histamine intolerance is concerned, if perfectly preserved, it has no contraindication. The massive presence of phenylalanine precludes its use in the diet against phenylketonuria.
The B vitamins have a mainly coenzymatic function; this is why the patella can be considered a good source of nutrients that support the cellular functions of all tissues. D, on the other hand, is crucial for bone metabolism and the immune system. Note : we remind you that dietary sources of vitamin D are very rare. Phosphorus, which is hardly lacking in diet, is one of the main constituents of bone (hydroxyapatite) and nervous tissue (phospholipids). Finally, iodine is necessary for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland - responsible for the regulation of cellular metabolism after the secretion of hormones T3 and T4.
Patella meat is allowed in the diet during pregnancy, provided it is cooked and comes from safe sources. In this case, it would still be a good idea to limit its consumption to one-off. The average portion of patella - as a dish - is less than 100 g.
Kitchen
How to eat limpets?
The limpets can be eaten in different ways, although connoisseurs prefer to eat them raw, as soon as they are caught.
Before eating or cooking the limpets it is however necessary to wash them thoroughly, in the sea if the water is certainly clean - and it is however a habit that cannot be recommended, especially for pregnant women - or under running tap water - recommended option.
Did you know that ...
Raw limpets taken from waters of dubious purity are among the raw materials that have most contributed to spreading type A hepatitis, a viral disease, cholera, salmonella and typhoid fever.
Then, having to cook them in a pan or in a saucepan, to avoid that they release impurities, as is done with mussels, oysters and large sea snails, it is essential to clean the surface by removing algae and incrustations such as dog teeth or "gramostini" .
The most basic method of cooking limpets is drowning; then dip the limbs in already boiling water for 5 minutes. At this point they can be consumed naturally, simply removing them from the shell, taking care to eliminate the innermost part of the mollusc - the one just below the shell - using a knife and fork, or seasoning them with oil, possibly lemon juice or even with chopped parsley, garlic, salt and pepper.
Many, instead, sauté them in a pan - shelled or whole - sprinkled with white wine and seasoned with oil, garlic and parsley, or with mint and marjoram, or with tomato sauces or other vegetables - even spicy. With limpets you can make first courses, for example the classic linguine, of excellent quality, or fantastic risottos. The large limpets - 7 or 10 cm - can also be grilled or baked in the oven - for a few minutes, preventing them from hardening.
Description
Description of the sea patella
The limpets, as the name suggests, have a typically flattened shape. To protect the underlying mollusc, which is yellowish with greenish and purplish nuances in the visible part, of turgid consistency, the limpets are endowed with a single external shell which, in reality, is very similar to an umbrella - more or less conical or domed, depending on the species. Moreover, the shell, normally light brownish outside and white mother of pearl inside, can be smooth or, as in the case of P. ferruginea, striped by scaly crests that determine a lower serrated edge and converge at the top, at the apex. The latter species, in addition to being the most valuable, is also the largest of the entire Mediterranean Sea and can reach 10 cm in diameter.
The patella has a strong resemblance to the Ear of Venus or Abalone, which is instead more difficult to identify both because of the greater camouflage, and because it remains below the waterline - while the patella is often discovered at low tide, condition to which it brilliantly survives closing itself "hermetically" to conserve water.
Biology
Basics of patella biology
The limpets of the sea are invertebrates, more precisely gastropod molluscs, of the Subclass Eogastropoda, Family Patellidae, Genus Patella and ferruginea species. There are two varieties: lamarcki and rouxi - less common.
Today at risk of extinction - due to pollution but above all the intensive extraction by humans - the limpets occupy above all the Western Mediterranean Sea with greater population density in Corsica, Sardinia, Morocco, Algeria and southern Spain. They live attached to the rocks of the mesolitoral plane, near the breaker (intertidal zone).
The limpets feed on algae and move with extreme slowness; as a defense mechanism they have in fact developed the hard shell almost impossible to break or detach from the rocks. The mollusk of the limpets has a basal suction foot that, producing a viscous substance, allows it to adhere firmly even to uneven surfaces. This is equipped with a powerful muscle that, in order to defend itself from predators or to survive at low tide, contracting lowers the shell and closes the slit - normally open to allow water to circulate, which is essential for breathing and maintaining hydration.
The limpets reproduce between spring and autumn, freeing initially planktonic larvae which then adhere to the rocks; these creatures are born males and become females at 5-6 centimeters in diameter. In addition to man, they are an extremely sought after prey by many species of fish.
Did you know that ...
The limpets, in addition to being a product of sea fishing - even if they are more than a "collection" - are used as bait to catch various types of fish such as: bream, sea bream, corvina, murmur, croaker, mullet, mullet, salpa, gallinella, paganello, go etc.
