What does the term depuration mean when
talking about certain seafood items?
Depuration is a process of cleansing bacteria from
live shellfish and some fin fish. Mostly with clams, oysters and
mussels, which are classified as "filter feeders," and recently with
talipilia.
Talipilia is a bottom feeding fish and by running it
through a depuration process the meat is much better tasting. The
duration process consists of putting the fish and shell fish in clean
water for a 48 hour period. Some seafood processors call this process
"purging," which means the same thing.
At
present the U.S. has eleven depuration plants. The process usually
adds about 10% to the cost, however, the product is greatly
improved. Oysters that have gone through the depuration process
have no danger of red tide poisoning.
Depuration