Foodie tucks into bowl of mussels left horrified after discovery inside shell

A foodie tucking into a plate of mussels was left stunned by what they found inside. The delicious seafood which can be eaten on its own or in a pasta dish needs to be shelled before eating. One person who did just that found quite the surprise inside their dish.

Sharing a photo of the mussel to r/UKfood, the confused member of the public was left asking what it was. It certainly wasn't a mussel, though it appeared a small sea creature had still made its way inside of the shell. Though it's a rarity, the photo captured a strange surprise in a bowl of mussels.

The person sharing the bowl found a "little guy" inside of one of the shells. They asked: "Who's this little guy in my mussel? I found this little guy in my bowl of mussels. What is it? Help."

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The cute appearance of a crustacean in the shell has delighted members of the public, though one person did figure out what it was. They wrote: "Normally it's a pea crab, but this looks like a squat lobster."

Pea crabs are small, parasitic sea creatures which live inside mussel shells. They are rarely found inside of mussel shells but can sometimes be found. The Discover Wildlife team explained how the pea crabs manage to get inside.

They wrote: "As the mussel sucks in seawater, edible particles are filtered out by the gills and gathered in a mucous rope, before being passed down a conveyor belt of ciliary hairs. The pea crabs simply help themselves."

Pea crabs are safe to eat and are considered a "gourmet treat" according to oyster enthusiasts. The Oyster Obsession site has confirmed it adds a saltier taste to the oyster or mussel.

They wrote: "The pea crabs that one finds in an oyster are always the adult, soft-shelled females, as only the males acquire the brittle carapace needed to survive outside the oyster.

"Since my first encounter, I too have come to love them and always feel a little lucky when I shuck open that first oyster and discover the tiny inhabitants."

Peter Fu, a chef at the Grand Central Oyster Bar in New York City went on record as saying the pea crabs only add to the flavour of other seafoods.

He said: "The oyster takes in enough food for both of them to be healthy. And the crab doesn’t diminish the oyster’s quality in any way. Really, it’s a sign of a thriving ecosystem."

The chef says restaurants often remove them as customers may feel uncomfortable tackling the crab. But Chef Fu added: "If we miss one, our waiters are trained to tell the guest that it’s natural, like finding a beetle in your salad greens.

"One time there was a particularly upset customer, so I went out and explained that they’re harmless and also mentioned that George Washington was a great fan of pea crabs."