Mejillón de Galicia

Mejillón de Galicia or Mexillón de Galicia designates fresh mussels of the species Mytilus galloprovincialis cultivated on rafts in the internal maritime waters of the Galician rías. Registered as a PDO on 28 December 2006, it is the protected designation governing mussel production from the rías of A Coruña and Pontevedra under file number PDO-ES-0165.

About this designation

The designation covers fresh mussels of the species Mytilus galloprovincialis cultivated exclusively on rafts within the internal maritime areas of five named rías: Ría de Ares-Sada, Ría de Muros-Noia, Ría de Arousa, Ría de Pontevedra, and Ría de Vigo, all within the provinces of A Coruña and Pontevedra. The meat is normally creamy orange in colour and comprises two fleshy lobules with a sinuous dark violet band running along the edge. Mussels from microbiologically classified area B must be purified using sea water drawn exclusively from the Galician rías in those two provinces; mussels from area A may proceed directly to a dispatch centre. Packaging must take place within the geographical area defined in the specification, a restriction justified by the perishable and degradation-susceptible nature of the product. Each batch receives a certification document stating origin data, batch characteristics, the farmer, and the consignee, together with a unique identifier code for traceability. Finished sales units carry a control label and tamper-proof seal. The inspection and control body is the Consello Regulador DOP Mexillón de Galicia, based in Vilagarcia de Arousa, Pontevedra. Labels must display the words Denominación de Origen Protegida Mexillón de Galicia conspicuously beneath the logo. The designation was registered at EU level on 28 December 2006 under eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013481.

Source: The register document this entry was written from · retrieved August 26, 2026

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PDO on 28 December 2006 under file number PDO-ES-0165 and eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013481.
• The only permitted species is Mytilus galloprovincialis, cultivated exclusively on rafts within five named Galician rías.
• Purification must use sea water from the Galician rías in the provinces of A Coruña and Pontevedra; no other water source is permitted.
• Each batch carries a unique identifier code and a tamper-proof seal issued under the authority of the Consello Regulador DOP Mexillón de Galicia.

Tasting notes

Galician mussel DOP from Rías Gallegas (Galician estuaries), traditional bateas (raft) cultivation. Plump golden-orange flesh, balanced briny-sweet flavor, characteristic Galician-cold-water profile, large meaty size — Spain's most renowned mussel.

HoReCa use

Mejillón de Galicia DOP is used in Galician seafood cuisine including mejillones a la marinera and mejillones al vapor, and is processed into canned mejillones en escabeche within the premium Spanish tinned-fish tradition.

Packaging

• mesh-bag-fresh-1kg
• mesh-bag-fresh-2kg
• vacuum-pack-cooked-500g
• can-tin-en-escabeche-115g
• can-tin-natural-115g
• can-tin-160g
• gift-pack-conservas-300g