沈云将食物本草曰∶吐铁，海中螺属也，大如指中，有腹如凝膏白，其壳中吐膏，大于
本身
，光明洁白可爱，姑苏人享客，佐下酒小盘，为海错上品，一名麦螺，一名梅螺。产宁波者
，大而多脂，余姚者不及；生食之令人头痛，土人以盐渍之，去其初次涎，便缩可食。 海
味索隐曰∶土铁一名泥螺，出宁波南田者佳，五月梅雨后收制。 会稽志∶吐铁岁时含以沙
，沙黑似铁，至桃花时，铁始吐尽。见只编云∶九月可食，盖此物产泥涂，以泥为食，八月
至九月不复食泥，吐白脂，晶莹涂上，比他月出者佳。 福州府志∶吐铁为海错上品，色青
，外壳亦软，肉黑如铁，吐露壳外，人以腌藏糟浸，货之四方。别有小如绿豆者，桃花时方
有，名桃花吐铁。产泉州者，名曰麦螺。 楷弟观颐录云∶吐铁出海宁者，无脂多泥，肉韧
不堪食。出宁波者，极大，多脂无泥，肉脆，水洗三次，用甜生白酒浸半日，待盐味出，换
白酒酿，加烧酒或单用烧酒浸亦可，必多入白糖，藏久不坏。 柑园小识；吐铁生海中，微
似扁螺，壳薄而白，肉青黑色，大者多脂，以盐渍之，可以致远。
甘酸咸寒，补肝肾，益精髓，明耳目。
按∶吐铁色青，得甲木之气，以斥卤为食，不复他食，更得土之余润而生脂膏，八九月
不食
土者，以秋金盛而木气衰，故吐泥而不食，其能补肝肾益精髓，亦犹脾土得养，化津液上升
，而并及耳目也；东璧以蓼螺为泥螺，味酸入肝，二物形质不同，性味亦异，则强合为一，
误矣。此物又能润喉燥生津，予庚申岁二月，每患燥火，入夜喉咽干燥，舌枯欲裂，服花粉
生津药，多不验，一日市吐铁食之，甘，至夜咽干亦愈，可知生津液养脾阴之力大也。
沈云在《食物本草》中说：吐铁，是海中螺类的一种，大小如同手指中间一节，腹部像凝固的膏脂一样洁白。它壳中排出的膏体，比本身还要大，光亮洁白，令人喜爱。姑苏人用来招待客人，作为佐酒的小菜，是海味中的上品。又名麦螺，又名梅螺。产于宁波的吐铁，个头大且油脂丰富，余姚产的不如宁波的好；生吃会让人头痛，当地人用盐腌制，去掉第一次渗出的涎液后，身体收缩就可以食用了。
《海味索隐》说：土铁又名泥螺，出产于宁波南田的最好，在五月梅雨过后采收制作。
《会稽志》记载：吐铁在岁时口中含着沙粒，沙子黑得像铁一样，到了桃花盛开的时节，铁（沙）才完全吐出。
《见只编》说：九月可以食用，大概是因为这种物产生长在泥涂中，以泥为食，从八月到九月不再吃泥，而是吐出白色的脂肪，晶莹地附着在表面，比其他月份出产的要好。
《福州府志》记载：吐铁是海味中的上品，颜色青绿，外壳也软，肉黑得像铁，吐露在壳外，人们把它腌藏或糟浸，运销到各地。另外有一种小如绿豆的，只有在桃花时节才有，名叫桃花吐铁。产自泉州的，名叫麦螺。
赵楷的弟弟赵观颐在《观颐录》中说：出海宁的吐铁，没有油脂且多泥沙，肉质坚韧不堪食用。出宁波的吐铁，个头极大，多油脂无泥沙，肉质脆嫩，用水清洗三次，用甜的生白酒浸泡半天，待盐味出来后，换用白酒酿造液浸泡，或者加烧酒甚至单用烧酒浸泡也可以，必须加入大量的白糖，存放久了也不会坏。
《柑园小识》说：吐铁生长在海中，形状微似扁螺，壳薄而白，肉呈青黑色，大的多油脂，用盐腌制，可以运送到远方。
按语：吐铁色青，禀受甲木之气，以咸卤海水为食，不吃其他东西，又得到土地剩余的滋润而生出脂膏。八九月不吃泥土，是因为秋季金气旺盛而木气衰弱，所以吐出泥沙而不进食，它能补肝肾、益精髓，也就像脾土得到滋养，化生津液上升，从而惠及耳目；李时珍（东璧）将蓼螺当作泥螺，认为其味酸入肝，但这两种物形体质地不同，性味也不同，强行合为一谈，是错误的。此物又能润喉燥、生津液。我在庚申年二月，常患燥火之症，入夜咽喉干燥，舌苔枯槁欲裂，服用天花粉等生津药，大多无效。有一天买了吐铁食用，味道甘甜，到了晚上咽干的症状也痊愈了，由此可知它生津液、养脾阴的功效很大。
Shen Yun stated in *Food Bencao* (Compendium of Food): "Tutie" belongs to the category of sea snails, with a size comparable to the middle segment of a finger. Its abdomen is white and gelatinous like solidified paste. The mucus it expels from its shell is larger than its own body, bright, pure, and white, making it visually appealing. People in Gusu serve it as a small dish accompanying wine for guests, considering it a premium delicacy among seafood. It is also known as Mailuo (Wheat Snail) or Meiluo (Plum Snail). Those produced in Ningbo are large and rich in fat, whereas those from Yuyao are inferior; consuming them raw may cause headaches. Locals pickle them with salt to remove the initial saliva, after which they shrink and become edible.
*Haiwei Suoyin* (Hidden Secrets of Sea Flavors) states: Tutie is also called Niluo (Mud Snail), with the best quality coming from Nantian in Ningbo, harvested and processed after the plum rains in May.
*Kuaiji Zhi* (Chronicles of Kuaiji) records: During certain times of the year, Tutie holds sand in its mouth, which is black like iron. By the time peach blossoms bloom, the "iron" (sand) is completely expelled.
*Jianzhi Bian* (Records of What Is Seen Only Once) notes: It can be eaten in September. This is likely because this creature lives in mud flats and feeds on mud. From August to September, it ceases feeding on mud and instead exudes white fat, which appears crystal clear on the surface, making it superior to those harvested in other months.
*Fuzhou Fuzhi* (Gazetteer of Fuzhou Prefecture) records: Tutie is a top-tier seafood delicacy. It has a greenish color and a soft outer shell. The meat is black like iron and protrudes from the shell. People preserve it by pickling or fermenting it in rice wine lees and distribute it to various regions. There is another variety as small as a mung bean that appears only during the peach blossom season, named Taohua Tutie (Peach Blossom Tutie). Those produced in Quanzhou are called Mailuo.
Zhao Guan Yi, brother of Zhao Kai, wrote in *Guanyilu*: Tutie from Haining lacks fat and contains much mud, with tough meat that is inedible. Tutie from Ningbo is very large, rich in fat, free of mud, and has crisp meat. After washing three times with water, soak it in sweet raw white wine for half a day until the salty taste emerges. Then change to fermented white wine liquor, or add distilled spirits (Baijiu) or use distilled spirits alone for soaking. It is essential to add a large amount of rock sugar so that it does not spoil even after long storage.
*Ganyuan Xiaoshi* (Small Knowledge from the Citrus Garden) states: Tutie grows in the sea, resembling a flat snail slightly. Its shell is thin and white, while the meat is greenish-black. The larger ones are fatty; pickled with salt, they can be transported over long distances.
Its nature is sweet, sour, salty, and cold. It tonifies the Liver and Kidneys, benefits the essence and marrow, and brightens the eyes and ears.
Commentary: Tutie is greenish in color, inheriting the Qi of Jia Wood. It feeds exclusively on saline seawater and nothing else. Furthermore, it derives residual moisture from the earth to generate fat and paste. In August and September, it does not consume soil because Autumn Metal Qi is prosperous while Wood Qi declines; thus, it expels mud without eating. Its ability to tonify the Liver and Kidneys and benefit the essence and marrow is analogous to how Spleen Earth, when nourished, transforms fluids and sends them upward, thereby benefiting the eyes and ears. Li Shizhen (Dongbi) mistakenly identified Liaoluo (Polygonatum Snail?) as Niluo, claiming its sour flavor enters the Liver. However, these two substances differ significantly in form and texture, as well as in nature and flavor. Forcing them into one category is erroneous. This substance can also moisten dryness in the throat and generate fluids. In the second month of the Gengshen year, I frequently suffered from dryness-fire syndrome. At night, my throat and pharynx were dry, and my tongue was withered and seemed ready to crack. Taking Tianhuafen (Trichosanthis Radix) and other fluid-generating herbs yielded little effect. One day, I purchased and ate Tutie. It tasted sweet, and by nightfall, the dryness in my throat had healed. This demonstrates the significant power of this substance in generating fluids and nourishing Spleen Yin.