Periwinkles

Periwinkles are small sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs, common on rocky Atlantic shorelines. Edible species include the common periwinkle Littorina littorea, the smooth periwinkle L. obtusata, the gulf periwinkle L. irrorata, and the southern periwinkle L. angulifera. They reach markets fresh in the shell, raw or cooked, and are eaten by extracting the meat with a pin. In shellfish handling, clean harvest waters, rapid chilling, and full cooking control microbial risks, as with other molluscs. These humble snails sustain traditional coastal fisheries and local food cultures along both sides of the Atlantic.