What's That Green Stuff Inside Your Lobster?
NEWS
By ELIAS NASH
When you crack open a lobster's body cavity, you'll see what looks like a bright green paste coating the tender white meat called tomalley, one of the lobster's internal organs.
Tomalley has an ultra-concentrated hit of lobster flavor and a buttery texture. However, the role it plays in a lobster's digestive system has health officials concerned.
Tomalley is an organ called the hepatopancreas, which filters toxins out of the lobster's blood. Some feel it has a faint metallic taste akin to the organ meat of other animals.
Tomalley from male lobsters is typically bright green, while tomalley from female lobsters has more of a yellow hue, as well as having a smoother texture.
If the lobster consumes any pollutants, they can build up in the hepatopancreas. Since they are non-water soluble, they won't release into the water as the lobster boils.
The FDA has cautioned against eating tomalley for this reason, so it is recommended to consume tomalley in extreme moderation, if at all.