【Reading】うろ

【English Name】Digestive Gland (of Scallop)

Uro is a colloquial term for the midgut gland (hepatopancreas) of the scallop (hotategai), a term often used at sushi restaurants and fresh-fish counters. It is a blackish-green internal organ that, being conspicuous when the shell is opened, can be easily removed by hand even by an amateur.

Uro has a strong, distinctive bitter astringency and is generally regarded as unsuitable for eating. More importantly, it is a part where shellfish toxins and heavy metals such as cadmium tend to accumulate through bioconcentration. In legitimate scallop distribution, sample testing is carried out and shipment is halted if the standard value is exceeded, but as a precaution it is recommended not to eat it.

If uro is heated without being removed during cooking, its internal fluid often spreads through the entire dish and ruins the flavor. For this reason, when using scallops for sashimi, sushi toppings, butter-grilling, and so on, it is basic to remove the uro without fail at the preparation stage. Even processed baby scallops (immature shellfish) are generally turned into products with the uro removed after boiling.

In the sushi trade, saying "remove the uro" means removing the scallop's midgut gland, and it is known as one of the basic tasks of preparation.