What is the dead man in a crab?

Chef's answer
Pull away and discard the feathery finger-like gills, called 'dead man's fingers'. The internal body contains a little brown meat, but mainly white meat.
Frequently asked Questions 🎓
Puffer fish contain a toxin called tetrodotoxin which is one of the most deadly natural poisons. ... However, it is still not uncommon for poisoning and even death to occur. Pufferfish, either alive or dead, can be fatal to both humans and dogs alike if ingested in large enough quantities..
Dead Man's Fingers are the gills of a blue crab. They have a greyish, shriveled appearance, which some people think makes them look like the fingers of a corpse. Contrary to what some people believe, they are not toxic or harmful in any way. They just don't look or taste good..
Lobsters are not poisonous if they die before cooking, but you should cook them quickly. Many lobsters sold commercially are killed and frozen before cooking. Lobsters and other crustaceans do spoil rapidly after death, which is why many buyers insist on receiving them alive.
Meat from a dead crab will get mushy and lose the delicate flavor that fresh crabs have. ... It's best to cook them within 10 or 15 minutes of dying in order to preserve the meat for as long as possible. If they're kept cool, crabs can be cooked 24-48 hours after they die but the flavor and texture are going to suffer..
The bacteria they ingest are often harmless to the shellfish but can be dangerous to people who eat the infected seafood. ... Do not cook or eat shellfish that have died during storage. Gaping shells indicate that the shellfish are dead and not edible. Dead shellfish spoil rapidly and develop off-flavor and off-odors..
Clams are exceedingly perishable.
Why do some clams remain tightly shut after cooking? Clams that are dead before they're cooked won't open. The rule around here is that you should never eat a clam that hasn't opened when cooked..
A few more cooking questions 📍