[Lee Stewart]

With a name as ominous as blood clams, you might expect there to be danger involved. However, the molluscs’ red color, caused by high levels of haemoglobin (the protein that makes blood red), is not what makes them risky. It's because they're often eaten raw and have a track record of spreading diseases including hepatitis A, typhoid and dysentery. They must be boiled for long enough to kill any bacteria.