Snails have traditionally been bred for gastronomic purposes, but heliculture has now developed a new and important source of income: slime harvesting. If the benefits of snail meat have been known for centuries, it was only recently that the world of cosmetics discovered the extraordinary virtues of the secretion of gastropods.
Snails emit foam after small stresses, they do not need to be slaughtered to obtain this valuable substance.
This means that the activity of collecting and selling slime is compatible with that of producing meat, and from each snail it is possible to obtain slime several times. In this way, the wine business not only makes money from the sale of the snails, but also adds the source of income from the slime.
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How to collect snail slime
All snails produce mucus: for the gastropod, it is a form of defense and an aid to movement. The secretion of foamy mucus allows the snail to move without hurting itself in its characteristic “walking on its belly”, in addition to helping the effect of the wind which allows it to climb even on vertical surfaces. The most appreciated slime is that of the Helix Aspersa species, it is better to choose this type of snail if the purpose of breeding is also to obtain and market the slime.
There are two methods of collecting snail slime:
- manual collection : the snails are removed and washed to remove dirt and other impurities, then they are lightly solicited with the hands so that they start drooling. In this way, the mud is collected very slowly: a few centiliters of mucus are obtained in a few hours.
- Specific extractor : There are several machines designed to stimulate snails, stimulating them to foam and collecting their secretions.
Once extracted, the foam must be filtered and microfiltered. In the collection of mud, it is necessary to have a little ethics: there are machines which exaggeratedly stimulate the shells, making them suffer, to the point of often causing death. When choosing the extractor, keep in mind that the process is cruelty-free, i.e. it gently stimulates the snails. This is also interesting for the snail farmer, because well-treated snails will be used again for slime collection after a rest period and can then also be sold for gastronomic purposes.
The company La Lumaca di Ambra Cantoni has developed its own invention extractor which works up to 50 kilos of snails and allows to obtain burrs equivalent to 10% of the weight of the snails. You can request information about this by writing to info@lalumacaweb.it (please say that you have found the contact at Orto Da Coltivare).
How to Market Slime
The smudge business is booming and very profitable: today the cosmetic properties of the substance are beginning to be known and there is a great sensitivity to natural products. For this reason, slime is valued at up to one hundred euros per liter and is a product that has many points of sale, it becomes one of the main sources of income for heliculture.
Possible sales channels for mucus:
- Laboratories and cosmetic companies especially those with natural product lines.
- Pharmaceutical companies. Slime is also a panacea for the treatment of various diseases, and the substances contained in it are useful for the preparation of medicines.
- Creation of their own cosmetic lines. The smudge can also be used directly pure, or it can be included in cosmetics where it remains the main element and the active ingredient. This allows the propeller producer to develop their own products to bring to market, thereby increasing their profits through direct sales.