Sea rainbow, also known as mussel, is also called Qingkou in some places, and often grows on coastal reefs, and some can even grow on the bottom of ocean ships. As a common shellfish in the ocean, Haihong is tenacious in vitality, fast in growth and easy to catch. Because of this, Haihong can be seen in seafood restaurants all over China, and it is also a kind of ingredient that is often made into seafood dishes.
However, we should pay attention to the time when eating sea rainbow. From March to June every year, due to the rising temperature of seawater, algae growing in the ocean learned to secrete toxins in the long evolution process to reduce their chances of being preyed by predators and increase their ability to survive. It is by preying on algae in seawater that the sea rainbow serves as a nutrient for its own growth. Although the toxin of algae does not directly kill the sea rainbow, the sea rainbow can not decompose the toxin secreted by algae well, and the toxin gradually accumulates in the sea rainbow and further gathers through the food chain. At this time, if humans, who are more advanced in the food chain, eat a lot of sea rainbow containing toxins, they will have a poisoning reaction.
According to the staff of the Bureau of Ocean and Fisheries, although algae toxins will accumulate in the sea rainbow, it doesn't mean that it can't be eaten all year round. In the season when the seawater temperature is low and the algae growth is not too lush, although the algae toxin will accumulate in the sea rainbow, its content has dropped to the level that the human body can bear, so it will be more reassuring to eat the sea rainbow. Therefore, citizens who buy seafood during May Day should follow the advice of the Bureau of Ocean and Fisheries and avoid buying sea rainbow, and then go to the market to purchase and eat sea rainbow when the season is relatively suitable.