Emily Chan
Currently, blood clams are banned in China, as the ones harvested in the country were responsible for a hepatitis outbreak.
Importing Chinese blood clams in the United States is illegal, but smugglers have their ways of getting them in.
Blood clams from other locations are safe to eat, just not the ones from China or Southeast Asia, where they are heavily cultivated.
In some parts of the world, blood clams are treated for contaminants, which is thought to make them safer.
There’s always a risk of getting sick from seafood. It depends on where they were harvested and what they have been exposed to.
For instance, harmful algal blooms occur widely and often contribute to seafood toxicity. Those who consume seafood exposed to algal blooms may develop food poisoning.
