Anatomy of a Scallop

We typically eat only the main muscle at the center of the scallop. Knowing what’s inside a scallop makes it easier to understand what you’re eating, and should the opportunity arise, how to shuck them yourself.

This is the one part of the scallop that we eat in the U.S. This muscle connects the two shells together, allowing the scallop to swim. The muscle itself is composed of bundles of very short fibers made of proteins called myosin and actin (the same proteins that are in land animal muscle fibers), which are separated within thin sheets of connective tissue. The adductor has a good deal of the amino acid glycine, and tastes sweet as a result.

The catch muscle (or abductor muscle) next to the adductor keeps the shell closed; we remove this tough muscle before cooking, if it is still attached.

Scallops open their shells when breathing, using their gills to pull in oxygen from the water.

This fleshy layer forms the outer wall of the scallop's body, enclosing its internal organs. It is made up of proteins including collagen, and secretes calcium carbonate to form the scallop's shell. It also contains the scallop's eyes.

Yes, scallops have eyes. Each scallop has up to 100 eyes, along the edge of the mantle, each with a separate socket, and its own lens, retina, cornea, and optic nerve. The eyes are capable of seeing shadow and movement.

These glands lie next to the adductor muscle, and give that muscle its color (see Why Is This Scallop Pink?). These organs are consumed in Europe, though not typically in the U.S.