Blood Clam

Blood clams are bivalve molluscs containing haemoglobin, which gives their flesh and juice a distinctive red colour. The most commercially significant species are Tegillarca granosa (blood cockle) and Anadara tuberculosa (mangrove cockle). They are a staple food across Southeast Asia, China, and parts of West Africa, consumed raw, steamed, or in stir-fries. Blood clams are among the few bivalves that can carry hepatitis A and typhoid if harvested from polluted waters, and they are subject to periodic food safety advisories. In tinned form they appear from Southeast Asian and Chinese producers, offering a shelf-stable format for markets where fresh supply is limited.