The mussel is a lamellibranch mollusk with a rich nutritional value thanks to its high protein content, as well as being a source of iron. It has symmetrical valves or shells of a bluish-black color between 4 and 8 cm. Naturally, it adheres to rocks by means of a special filament that it produces called ‘byso’, forming large colonies.
In the Galician Rías, the temperature and nutrient conditions of the seawater are ideal for their development, thus obtaining mussels of optimal size and quality. Its culture is carried out in large floating trays, it reproduces by laying several million eggs and reaches the right size to be marketed from the first year of age. It is at this moment when the ropes are removed from the water and once on deck they are cleaned with plenty of sea water and sorted by size.
