It was once viewed as an expensive, luxury food only to be enjoyed on the rarest of occasions. But now crab has found its way back into kitchens and restaurants across the country and soaring numbers of British food-lovers are savouring the delicacy.

Sales of crab have increased by almost 50% in the past year and experts say that celebrity chefs have helped to spark the resurgence.

Dressed crab, crab cakes and sushi made with crab meat are all on the menu as consumers make the most of the healthy, locally caught ingredient.

Stewart Crighton, general manager of the Orkney Fishermen's Society said: "Undoubtedly crab sales have taken off.

"Part of the reason is that crab is now being eaten in a lot of different ways. It is being offered as an ingredient and with other seafood such as langoustine and mussels.

"People are more environmentally aware and crab is a sustainable fish - it is caught in baited traps so the good ones are selected out."

The increase in sales of crab is thought to be partly down to health conscious customers who are choosing seafood because it is so low in fat.

Many varieties of shellfish have increased in popularity amid drives towards healthy eating and research from industry body Seafish shows that the shellfish retail market is growing at 12% a year.

Figures released last month by the Scottish Shellfish Marketing Group showed that sales of mussels had grown by 20% in one year.

The SSMG said mussels were being hailed as a "wonder food", with their low calorific content and high levels of iron and zinc making them the perfect food for slimmers.

Now crab is emerging as the UK's latest "superfood" as nutritionists say it is low in fat and a good source of iron, potassium, selenium and omega 3.

Figures released yesterday by analysts TNS show that sales of all types of crab rose by 48% last year and sales of chilled versions alone were up by 31%.

Experts say the resurgence of crab, which dropped in popularity after the 1970s, is part of a return of the retro menu, which includes prawn cocktail and Black Forest Gateau.

Upmarket restaurants and recipe books from chefs such as Rick Stein have started to feature crab and Gordon Ramsay also used the ingredient in his Channel 4 series The F Word.

It is an attractive option for ethical consumers who want to buy local produce and can choose crab caught from waters surrounding the British Isles. Ken Watmough, of Ken Watmough Fishmonger in Aberdeen, said he had witnessed the increase in the popularity of crab, which he sells for about £13.20 per kilo of white meat. He said: "Much of it is caused by exposure on food programmes. Magazines have also run a number of recipes for crab cakes recently. The exposure is definitely doing the job. It can be quite an expensive product but the taste is lovely."

Brigitte Read, marketing executive for the Sea Fish Industry Authority, added: "Crab is now far more available. Previously, you could only get dressed crab or whole crab but now you can get it in lots of different ways that are easy for customers to eat.

"Celebrity chefs such as Gordon Ramsay are having an impact. People see him preparing it on the F Word or see it in his book and then they want to buy it."

High street retailers are also meeting extra demand for the delicacy and Marks & Spencer is introducing Snow Crab Legs, priced at £6.99 for 100g.

Julia Bradley, M&S shellfish specialist, said: "In the past crab was seen as an expensive luxury but now more people are eating it on a more regular basis as it becomes more widely available and affordable.

"It has a much higher profile and health is so important to many people that they are choosing it as an alternative to something less nutritious."

A popular shellfish

  • Crab is the second most common species of shellfish landed by UK vessels, according to weight.
  • About 20,533 tonnes of crab, with a value of £24.3m, were landed in the UK in 2005.
  • Almost one-third (7000 tonnes) was caught in the west of Scotland. Tagging experiments have shown that some crabs move more than 100 miles a year during their seabed migration.
  • The best meat yield from the brown crab is achieved from April to November.
  • Males have larger claws than females and provide more white muscle meat, so they fetch higher prices. Cromer crabs, from the town of Cromer on the Norfolk coast, are famous for their sweet tender flesh and high proportion of white meat.
  • Chef Rick Stein reckons the Cromer is the best in the world.
  • The brown crab is the most common edible crab in Scotland.