The Potential Renal Acid Load of Edible Marine and Land Snails

Edible snails, such as the giant West African land snail (Archachatina marginata), are an important protein source in many African countries. The potential renal acid load (PRAL), an estimate of the capability of a food to alter net endogenous acid or base production, of snail meat has not been examined so far. A quantification study of the PRAL of n = 40 snail species showed that snail meat fared worse (e.g., more acidic) than high-protein plant foods but better than most other high-protein animal food sources (e.g., less acidifying than pork or poultry), which may be attributable to the high calcium and low phosphorus content of snail meat.