Half Shell Green Mussel is the meat of the green mussel (Perna viridis) left attached to one valve (half shell) and frozen. The green mussel is a bivalve mollusc in the genus Perna — distinct from Mytilus (blue / thick-shell mussel) and, importantly, from the New Zealand green-lipped mussel (Perna canaliculus). It is neither fish nor crustacean. The half-shell format keeps the meat on its shell for easy topping, grilling and plating.

What It Is

• Species: Perna viridis ( green mussel ). Not Perna canaliculus (NZ green-lipped mussel). Exact Latin + origin should be fixed on the purchase order.

• Part / Form: Mussel meat on half shell, frozen (IQF or block). Supplied raw frozen (for kitchen prep) or pre-cooked / steamed on half shell (for fast heat-and-serve).

• Origin: Farmed (rope-cultured) tropical / subtropical waters.

• Sensory: Plump, meaty, sweet and mildly briny; naturally larger meat than blue mussel.

• Baked / gratin mussels (Rockefeller, thermidor).

• Hot pot and steam pot.

• Buffet and foodservice plating.

• Retail frozen half-shell packs (private label supported).

• Asian soups and braised dishes.

• Food safety: HACCP, BRC, ISO 22000, HALAL, EU Reg. (EC) 853/2004.

• Sustainability (source-matched): Green mussels are farmed aquaculture → ASC, BAP, GLOBALG.A.P. apply. MSC does NOT apply — MSC is a wild-capture standard and is incorrectly used for farmed bivalves.

• (No allergen statement per current copy standard.)

• Store at -18 °C or below. Shelf life 24 months from production.

• Packaging: poly-lined cartons; IQF 10 kg bulk or retail re-packs.

• MOQ: 1 × 20' FCL (≈ 10–12 MT) or per agreed pack schedule.

Q1. Which species is the "green mussel", and can it be substituted with blue mussel? A. The green mussel is Perna viridis (翡翠贻贝 / 绿贻贝), genus Perna. It is not the blue / thick-shell mussel (Mytilus spp.) and not the NZ green-lipped mussel (Perna canaliculus). Different genera vary in meat size, colour and yield, so the exact Latin name and origin must be fixed on the PO to prevent substitution.

Q2. Is this wild-caught or farmed, and which sustainability certificate is correct? A. Green mussels are farmed (rope-cultured aquaculture), not wild-captured. The correct schemes are ASC, BAP or GLOBALG.A.P. MSC is a wild-fishery label and does NOT apply to farmed mussels — beware suppliers who attach MSC to farmed bivalves.

Q3. What is the difference between half shell, whole shell and shell-off mussel? A. Half shell = meat left attached to one valve (convenient for serving/topping); whole shell = both valves closed (live/fresh-style); shell-off = meat only (e.g., boiled mussel meat). Half shell is the format of choice for bake/grill and foodservice plating.

Q4. What HS code should I declare for half shell green mussel? A. Raw frozen half-shell mussel is declared under HS 0307.32 (frozen mussels, whether in shell or not). If the product is pre-cooked / steamed on half shell, it moves to HS 1605.53 (prepared or preserved mussels, frozen). Declare by the actual processing state, as duty differs.

Q5. Is the half shell green mussel raw or pre-cooked? A. Both are supplied: raw frozen for kitchen preparation, and pre-cooked (steamed) on half shell for quick heat-and-serve. Confirm your requirement on the order — the HS code and reheating instruction depend on which you choose.

Q6. Green mussel vs green-lipped mussel — are they the same? A. No. Perna viridis (green mussel, 绿贻贝) is the Asian / tropical species; Perna canaliculus (green-lipped mussel) is a New Zealand species with a distinct dark lip. They differ in size, market and certification pathways — keep the Latin name explicit to avoid mis-specification.