Liver (food)

Theliverof mammals,fowl, and fish is commonly eaten as food by humans (seeoffal).Pork,lamb,veal,beef, chicken,goose, andcodliversare widely available from butchers and supermarkets whilestingrayandburbotlivers are common in some European countries.
Animalliversare rich in iron, copper,B vitaminsand preformedvitamin A.  Daily consumption of liver can be harmful; for instance, vitamin A toxicity has been proven to cause medical issues to babies born of pregnant mothers who consumed too much vitamin A.For the same reason, consuming the livers of some species like polar bears, dogs, or moose is unsafe. A single serving of beef liver exceeds thetolerable upper intake levelof vitamin A.100 g cod liver contains 5 mg ofvitamin Aand 100 μg ofvitamin D.Liver contains large amounts ofvitamin B12, and this was one of the factors that led to the discovery of the vitamin.
FromMiddle Englishliver, fromOld Englishlifer, fromProto-Germanic*librō, fromProto-Indo-European*leyp-"to smear, smudge, stick", from Proto-Indo-European*ley- "to be slimy, be sticky, glide". Cognate withSaterland FrisianLieuwer"liver",West Frisianlever"liver",Dutchlever"liver",GermanLeber"liver",Danish,NorwegianandSwedish languagelever "liver" the last three fromOld Norselifr"liver".
In theRomance languages, the anatomical word for "liver" (Frenchfoie,Italianfegato,Spanishhígado, etc.) derives not from theLatinanatomical term,jecur, but from the culinary termficatum, literally "stuffed withfigs", referring to the livers of geese that had been fattened on figs (foie gras).
Liver can be baked, boiled, broiled, fried,stir-fried, or eaten raw (asbeh nayehorsawda nayeinLebanese cuisine, liversashimi). In many preparations, pieces of liver are combined with pieces of meat or kidneys, like in the various forms of Middle Easternmixed grill(e.g.meurav Yerushalmi).Spreadsorpâtésmade from liver have various names, includingliver pâté,pâté de foie gras,chopped liver,liverwurst,liver spread, andBraunschweiger. Other liver sausages includemazzafegatoor salsiccia matta. A traditionalSouth Africandelicacy, namelyskilpadjies, is made of minced lamb's liver wrapped innetvet(caul fat), and grilled over an open fire.
Some fish livers are valued as food, especially thestingrayliver. It is used to prepare delicacies, such as poached skate liver on toast in England,as well as thebeignets de foie de raieandfoie de raie en crouteinFrench cuisine.Cod liver (usually tinned in its oil and served seasoned) is a popular spread for bread or toast in several European countries. In Russia, it is served with potatoes.Cod liver oilis commonly used as adietary supplement. Liver ofburbotis eaten in Finland: it is common for fish vendors and supermarket fish aisles to sell these fish with liver and roe sacks still attached. These parts are often eaten boiled or added to burbot soup. Burbot and its liver are a traditional winter food.
The livers ofpolar bears,walruses,bearded seals, andhuskiescan contain very high levels of preformed vitamin A,and their consumption has led to vitamin A poisoning (hypervitaminosis A) according to severalanecdotal reports. It has been estimated that consumption of 500 grams of polar bear liver would result in a toxic dose for a human.Russian sailorAlexander Konrad, who accompanied explorerValerian Albanovin a tragic ordeal over theArcticice in 1912, wrote about the awful effects of consuming polar bear liver.Also, in 1913,Antarcticexplorers on theFar Eastern PartyDouglas MawsonandXavier Mertzwere believed to have been poisoned, the latter fatally, from eating husky liver, though this claim has been recently contested.
Mercury content in some species can also be an issue. In 2012, the Government ofNunavut, Canada warned pregnant women to lower their intake ofringed sealliver due to elevated levels ofmercury.
Theneurotoxinin the liver of thepufferfish(which is consumed inJapanese cuisineasfugu, tightly regulated by Japanese law) contains the highest concentration of thetetrodotoxin, which characterizes the species. Consequently, the liver has been illegal to serve since 1984.
Pig liver is a traditional food of immigrant Okinawans inHawaii. It used to be eaten onNew Year's Eve.
InPakistanandNorth India, the liver is eaten traditionally as the first meat of the sacrificial animal duringEid al-Adha.Kaleji masalaorkaleji salanis popular throughout the festival.