Cooking With Mussels

As is with all mollusks, good handling practices are critical to ensure food safety. Just follow a few simple rules:

1. When you purchase live mussels, their shells should be tightly closed.
2. They should not have a foul odor.
   
3. Live mussels need to breathe. Do not store them in plastic bags.
4. Ideally, you should prepare live mussels within 24 hours of purchase.
5. Live mussels should be refrigerated in an open container covered with a damp cloth or paper towel.
6. Persons with shellfish allergies should not consume mussels.