Garden snail

The garden snail (Helix Aspersa) is a terrestrial gastropod mollusk and one of the best-known species in the world. It is so common that it is one of the most proliferated terrestrial mollusks.

Like other gastropod mollusks, the Helix aspersa is hermaphrodite, since a single snail has male and female reproductive organs and therefore, can produce reproductive cells of both genders. Helix aspersa Maxima – farming snail is a representative of the Helicidae family. It is known as the African snail, or large grey snail – Gros-Gris. An adult Helix Maxima snail weighs 15-40 grams and lays 120-180 eggs. Both the Helix aspersa Maxima and Helix aspersa Müller varieties have undisputed nutritional benefits. They contain high quantities of protein, magnesium, calcium, copper, zinc and iodine in its meat.

It also produces large quantities of secretion which contains glycolic acid, collagen, vitamins, natural antibiotics, elastin and allantoin. This mixture of natural ingredients is an excellent cure for skin diseases. Snail secretion also provides the basis for production of skin cosmetics, medicines for asthma and tuberculosis. The moderate Lithuanian climate is particularly favourable for farming of this species and thanks to its flavour, it is more and more often encountered on our tables. The increasing demand for snails, especially in Europe has generated market conditions that will guarantee the sale of the quantity produced. With more than 80% of the market share, the commonly consumed snail type is Helix Aspersa. It is well known for being an excellent and highly appreciated gastronomic product thanks to the quality of its meat and slime.