What is Marsh Snail Oil?

Marsh Snail Oil is produced by taking marsh snails that have been purged of sediment, cleaned, washed, and dried, placing them into traditional breathable earthenware jars, and heating them continuously for 72 hours at a high temperature of over 360°C to completely dissolve the snail meat. Therefore, the marsh snail oil contains the dissolved components of both the snail meat and parts of the shell. "Purging" refers to the process of removing foreign substances from inside the snail shell.

Because of the name "Marsh Snail Oil," you might think it is the oil extracted from the snail. However, marsh snail oil is not an oil (fat, 脂) like sesame oil or perilla oil. The term "oil" in marsh snail oil is merely a name used to signify that the nutrients of the snail have been completely dissolved; in fact, the most abundant component in marsh snail oil is amino acids, which constitute the snail meat. If you try one 1,000ml bottle of marsh snail oil, which is a 20-day supply taken at 50ml per day, you will realize the true value of marsh snail oil.

The manufacturer of this marsh snail oil, Yeongwol Pyeongchang Marsh Snail, produces its products under the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety HACCP certification, so Yeongwol Pyeongchang Marsh Snail takes pride in producing marsh snail oil in a safer and more hygienic manner. Here is a brief introduction to the raw material, the marsh snail.

Marsh Snail

Marsh snails go by many names depending on the region, such as Olgengi, freshwater marsh snail, freshwater whelk, whelk, Doseulbi, Godi, Godong, freshwater snail, conch, Daesari, Kkolpaengi, and Golbaengi. Since marsh snails have been a familiar food source to our ancestors, there are many regional dialects referring to them. Marsh snails inhabit most rivers and streams, excluding the far north of the Korean Peninsula.

Marsh snails are distributed across Korea, Japan (south of Hokkaido), Taiwan, and China. They are mollusks that live in rivers, lakes, streams, and ponds. In Chinese characters, they are called Wara(蝸螺), a term composed of "Wa"(蝸) for snail and "Ra"(螺) for conch. In Korea, they are called Wara(蝸螺), in Japan they are called Senken(川蜷), and in China they are called Danguquan(短溝蜷).

There are 3 genera(屬) and a total of 9 species(種) of marsh snails in Korea, which are: the Korean marsh snail, dark-colored marsh snail, wrinkle marsh snail, small-wrinkle marsh snail, pearl marsh snail, banded pearl marsh snail, rosary marsh snail, pointed marsh snail, and pouch marsh snail. North Chungcheong Province in Korea is a region where marsh snails are abundant, and Olgengi Haejangguk (marsh snail hangover soup) is famous there. There are many rosary marsh snails and pearl marsh snails in the Yeongwol Donggang River.

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 through farming to supply the food industry. Although they succeeded in marsh snail farming in Yesan using compound feed created by the National Institute of Fisheries Science, the cost of feed makes industrialization difficult.

Humanity still does not fully understand the ecology of the marsh snail. Currently, small-scale marsh snail farming is being attempted in about 15 places across the country; the method involves hatching marsh snails in a farm, raising them as juveniles, and then releasing them into streams to grow into larger snails. It is said that even this method of farming is not very easy.

The demand for marsh snails in Korea is about 6,000–7,000 tons per year for food consumption in large cities, while domestic production is only about 2,000–3,000 tons per year, so the remainder is imported from abroad. It goes without saying that the imports are also all wild-caught, as they cannot be farmed abroad either.

Why Marsh Snails Are Famous

The reason marsh snails became famous is due to the late folk medical practitioner Insan Kim Il-hoon, who resided in Hamyang, South Gyeongsang Province. During his lifetime, Insan was the developer of Insan Bamboo Salt, which is made by putting salt into bamboo and roasting it nine times.

Insan is famous for having helped many people by processing common animals and plants we see around us in unique ways. His descendants and enthusiasts of folk medicine have currently established the Insan Oriental Medicine Clinic, Insan Bamboo Salt Co., Ltd., and the Insan Philosophy Association to uphold his legacy.

Insan treated marsh snails based on the energy associated with the colors of objects. Just as Insan developed Insan Bamboo Salt by using the white energy (白) of salt and the red fire energy (火) of high temperatures, he created marsh snail oil by utilizing the blue/green energy (靑) of the snail meat and the red fire energy (火) of high temperatures. Below is the appearance of the snail meat, which possesses this blue/green energy.

Components of the Marsh Snail

Below is the general composition table for marsh snail meat. "Dry basis" means the content ratio calculated excluding moisture.

General Composition Table of Marsh Snail Meat (Dry Basis)

The above analysis result is not for marsh snail oil, but for the snail meat itself. Since marsh snail oil is made by dissolving snail meat, understanding the snail meat gives us an overall idea of the components of the oil. Let's briefly look at the general components of marsh snail meat.

The characteristic of marsh snail composition is that it is high in protein and contains rich, well-balanced nutrients.

Differences between Marsh Snail Oil and Marsh Snail Concentrate

The most famous marsh snail processed products are marsh snail oil and marsh snail concentrate. Marsh snail concentrate is also referred to as marsh snail juice or extract. Here is a brief introduction to the differences between these two products.

Freshwater Snail Oil Manufacturing Method

A brief introduction to the freshwater snail oil manufacturing process.

Freshwater Snail Concentrate Manufacturing Method

A brief introduction to the freshwater snail concentrate manufacturing process.

The manufacturer/supplier of this product is Yeongwol Pyeongchang Freshwater Snail Co., Ltd. (CEO: Jo Byeong-chan). About 25 years ago, CEO Jo worked in the freshwater snail wholesale and retail business, both collecting and selling snails in the Donggang River and Jecheon areas. Fascinated by the benefits of freshwater snails, he established the individual business Yeongwol Pyeongchang Freshwater Snail in 2009 and began producing snail processed products. In 2020, based on his 25 years of experience in collecting, processing, and selling freshwater snails, CEO Jo founded Yeongwol Pyeongchang Freshwater Snail Co., Ltd., a company specializing in freshwater snail processing.

Yeongwol Pyeongchang Freshwater Snail Co., Ltd. received the HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) certification from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in 2022. As of 2024, it produces and sells freshwater snail oil, freshwater snail concentrate, raw freshwater snails, peeled freshwater snails, snails for soup stock, and snail broth. Yeongwol Pyeongchang Freshwater Snail Co., Ltd. takes pride in being a company that produces hygienic and safe freshwater snail products. Here is a brief introduction to Yeongwol Pyeongchang Freshwater Snail Co., Ltd.

Not applicable by law for this food item.

Not applicable by law for this food item.

Not applicable by law for this food item.

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