How long are wild snails typically kept without food during the purging stage to clear their systems?
Answer
Several days, sometimes up to two weeks
The purging protocol requires a significant duration to effectively cleanse the snail's internal system. Snails must be held in clean containment without food, receiving only clean water or specific light feed like flour or cornmeal, for a span ranging from several days up to a period potentially reaching two weeks. This extended timeframe is necessary to allow the gastropods sufficient opportunity to fully metabolize and eliminate the contents accumulated in their digestive tracts before they are moved on to the cleaning and cooking stages. This duration reflects the necessary caution required to minimize the risk associated with whatever the snail last ingested.
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