The Scardovari mussel (original name: Cozza di Scardovari) is a mussel belonging to the Mytilus galloprovincialis species , cultivated in the Scardovari Lagoon within the borders of the Porto Tolle Municipality in the province of Rovigo in the Veneto region of Italy .
Product Features
The Scardovari mussel is a two-valved mollusk with an elongated, nearly triangular, black-purple shell. The interior of the valves is violet-mother-of-pearl. The mussel possesses a strong, brown threadlike structure called a bisso, which allows it to cling to supports (webs called reste). Notable chemical and sensory characteristics include a condition index measuring the ratio of the mussel's edible portion to the total organism, exceeding 25%; a unique sweetness resulting from its low sodium content; and a soft, melt-in-the-mouth flesh. These characteristics distinguish the mussel from similar products cultivated offshore or elsewhere.
About Scardovari Mussels ( Scardovari Consorzio Coop. Pescatori del Polesine )
Production Area
The Scardovari mussel cultivation area is the Scardovari Lagoon in the municipality of Porto Tolle, province of Rovigo, located in the southern part of the Po delta, between the Po di Tolle and Po di Gnocca river branches. The lagoon is a marine inlet formed by a partial blockage and communicates with the sea through a "lagoon mouth." Purification, processing, and packaging of the product must also be carried out in facilities located within the three parishes of Scardovari, Ca' Mello, and Santa Giulia within the municipality of Porto Tolle to preserve the characteristics inherent in the production environment and maintain freshness and quality.
Obtaining Method
The production process begins with seed collection, which is done either by scraping the underwater surface from natural banks in the Scardovari Lagoon, or by capturing the seeds fixed on ropes or special collectors on marine farms overlooking the Po Delta. Seed is selected to be 1 to 3 cm in size. Sowing and growing of seed can only be carried out in nurseries within the Scardovari Lagoon. Producers prepare nets (reste) containing the seed and submerge them in water at a density of 5 to 15 seeds per square meter, approximately 1.5 meters deep. During the growth period, the mussels are thinned, cleaned of epibionts, and selected according to size to create new "reste". Harvesting of the Scardovari mussels is done manually two to four times when the mussels reach the minimum commercially acceptable size of 5 cm. After harvest, the product must be delivered to designated extraction points for quality control and then transported to purification facilities in heat-insulated, refrigerated vehicles.
Environmental and Human Factors
The product's qualities are directly related to the specific environmental conditions of Scardovari Lagoon and the local people's traditional practices. The lagoon lies within the Po Delta, Italy's largest wetland. The confluence of the Po River's freshwater currents with the sea, which is subject to high tidal cycles, ensures constant oxygen and water exchange. The shallow bottom, composed of river silt, maintains a higher average temperature than in marine areas and facilitates light diffusion and oxygenation throughout the water column. Freshwater inflows maintain salinity concentrations around 20% on average, between 10% and 30% in the lagoon, compared to an average of 35% in seawater. This low salinity and high phytoplankton productivity allow the mussels to grow rapidly, develop plump flesh, and possess a delicate, sweet flavor with a low sodium content comparable to that of marine mussels.
The human factor is crucial in certain manual stages of the production process, often carried out in family businesses or partnerships, and traditional cultivation techniques are passed down from father to son. These techniques include sorting, thinning, and selecting mussels based on size to create new "reste," which allows for large, uniform mussel growth.
