Scallops are a type of mollusk, a category that also includes clams, mussels, oysters, squid, octopus, snails, and sea slugs. But scallops are bivalve - meaning that they have two hinged shells that open and close when the scallop uses a large muscle.
The scallop ligament (scallop meat) in the center is particularly popular, and dried and frozen ligaments are distributed as independent parts. The scallop ligament is a massive, developed muscle that it uses to open and close the shells. Scallops swim in the ocean by pumping out the seawater using the ligament. The scallop ligament is a massive muscle mass and, without water content, about 80% of it consists of protein. It also contains a large quantity of glutamic acid and glycine, which draws out the umami of the scallops.
Scallops are tender shellfish with an appealing creamy texture and succulent flavor.
Japanese Half-Shell Scallop Medium contains abundant minerals such as iron and zinc, in addition to vitamins B1 and B2. Moreover, it contains plenty of taurine, a type of amino acid that is used as a main ingredient in nutritional drinks. As a high-protein, low-fat, healthy food ingredient, scallops draw increasingly strong attention.
