What is Marsh Snail Concentrate 40?

Marsh snail concentrate is a rich concentrate extracted by dissolving the flesh of marsh snails in hot water. The process involves removing grit (heagam) and impurities from live snails, drying and grinding them, then boiling them in water in a traditional cast-iron cauldron for 12 hours. The "40" in Marsh Snail Concentrate 40 indicates that there are 40 packs in one box. The terms "marsh snail extract" or "marsh snail essence" are more commonly used than "marsh snail concentrate."

"Heagam" refers to the process of removing foreign substances from the shells of creatures living in the sea or rivers. By placing marsh snails in dark water, the heagam process occurs. As nocturnal creatures, marsh snails emerge from their shells to move around in the dark water, which causes impurities inside the shell to be expelled.

The manufacturer of our marsh snail concentrate, Yeongwol Pyeongchang Marsh Snail, is certified by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (HACCP), so we take pride in the fact that our marsh snail essence is produced in a safe and hygienic manner. Below is a brief introduction to the marsh snail, the raw material for our concentrate.

Marsh Snail

Marsh snails go by many names in Korea depending on the region, such as Olgang-i, freshwater snail, freshwater whelk, or "godi." Because they have been a familiar food source for our ancestors for generations, there are many regional dialects for them. Marsh snails inhabit most rivers and streams across the Korean Peninsula, except in the far north.

Marsh snails are mollusks that live in rivers, lakes, streams, and ponds, and are distributed across Korea, Japan (south of Hokkaido), Taiwan, and China. Their Chinese character name, Wara(蝸螺), is composed of the characters for snail and whelk. They are called Wara(蝸螺) in Korea, Senken(川蜷) in Japan, and Danguquan(短溝蜷) in China.

There are 3 genera and a total of 9 species of marsh snails in Korea, including the common marsh snail, black marsh snail, wrinkled marsh snail, and bead-shell marsh snail. North Chungcheong Province is famous for its marsh snails, particularly its Olgang-i Hangover Soup. The Donggang River in Yeongwol is home to many bead-shell and common marsh snails.

Marsh Snail Farming

In December 2010, marsh snail farming was successfully achieved for the first time in the world in Yesan, South Chungcheong Province. However, it is still too early to mass-produce marsh snails via farming to supply the food industry. While the National Institute of Fisheries Science successfully farmed them using formulated feed, the high cost of feed makes commercialization difficult.

Human knowledge regarding the ecology of the marsh snail remains limited. Currently, small-scale farming is being attempted at about 15 locations nationwide, where they hatch and raise young snails before releasing them into streams to grow to full size. Even this method is reportedly not very easy.

Korea’s annual demand for marsh snails is about 6,000–7,000 tons for human consumption in large cities, but domestic production only reaches about 2,000–3,000 tons, so the rest is imported. Naturally, all imported snails are also wild-caught, as they cannot be farmed abroad either.

Why Marsh Snails are Famous

Marsh snails gained fame thanks to the late folk medicine scholar Insan Kim Il-hoon, who resided in Hamyang, Gyeongsangnam-do. Mr. Insan was the developer of Insan Bamboo Salt, created by roasting salt in bamboo nine times.

Mr. Insan was renowned for helping many people by processing common plants and animals using unique methods. His descendants and enthusiasts of folk medicine have since established the Insan Oriental Medicine Clinic, Insan Bamboo Salt Co., Ltd., and the Insan Philosophy Association to uphold his legacy.

Mr. Insan treated marsh snails based on the energy inherent in their color. Just as he developed Insan Bamboo Salt by utilizing the white energy of salt and the high-temperature red energy of fire, he created marsh snail oil by utilizing the blue/green energy of the snail's flesh and the red energy of fire. As the oil became famous, marsh snail concentrate was born. Below is the appearance of the marsh snail's flesh, which carries this green energy.

Marsh Snail Nutrients

Below is the proximate analysis table of marsh snail flesh. "Dry weight basis" means the content ratio excluding moisture.

Proximate Analysis Table of Marsh Snail Flesh (Dry weight basis)

The analysis results above are for the marsh snail flesh, not the marsh snail oil. However, since the oil is produced by dissolving the snail flesh, understanding the components of the flesh provides insight into the oil's composition. Here is a brief look at the components of marsh snail flesh.

The characteristic of marsh snail components is that they are high in protein and contain a balanced and rich profile of nutrients.

Differences between Marsh Snail Oil and Marsh Snail Concentrate

The most famous marsh snail products are marsh snail oil and marsh snail concentrate. Therefore, we will briefly introduce the differences between these two.

Method of Manufacturing Freshwater Snail Oil

Here is a brief introduction to the freshwater snail oil manufacturing process.

Method of Manufacturing Freshwater Snail Concentrate

Here is a brief introduction to the freshwater snail concentrate manufacturing process.

The manufacturer/supplier of this product is Yeongwol Pyeongchang Freshwater Snail Co., Ltd. (CEO: Cho Byeong-chan). About 25 years ago, CEO Cho worked in the wholesale and retail of freshwater snails, harvesting and selling them in the Donggang and Jecheon regions. Captivated by the benefits of freshwater snails, he established the individual enterprise "Yeongwol Pyeongchang Snail" in 2009 and began producing processed snail products. In 2020, based on his 25 years of experience in harvesting, processing, and selling, CEO Cho founded the specialized freshwater snail processing company, Yeongwol Pyeongchang Freshwater Snail Co., Ltd.

Yeongwol Pyeongchang Freshwater Snail Co., Ltd. received HACCP certification from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in 2022, and as of 2024, produces and sells freshwater snail oil, concentrate, raw snails, shelled snails, snails for broth, and snail broth. We take pride in being a company that produces hygienic and safe freshwater snail products. Here is a brief introduction to our company.

Large: 8 liters (100ml of extract x80 pouches) + 2 packs of shelled snails (200g each)

This product is not subject to this legal requirement.

This product is not subject to this legal requirement.

This product is not subject to this legal requirement.

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