How and where to store shrimp correctly?

Any seafood, including shrimp, is not recommended to be stored for a long time. This nuance even applies to deep freezing conditions.

There are only two ways to store shrimp:

• chilled in the refrigerator;
• frozen in the freezer.

The nuances of storing shrimp at home:

• shrimp should be stored only in the refrigerator (seafood spoils very quickly at room temperature);
• you cannot re-freeze and thaw the shrimp (if the shrimp were bought frozen and then thawed, then they must be eaten, otherwise, when re-freezing, seafood can radically change its structure and taste);
• when re-freezing, in most cases, shrimp not only lose moisture and taste, but also deteriorate (when defrosting such seafood, a specific smell may be present, and the appearance of the shrimp will be different);
• it is not recommended to store shrimp open (the exception is the way of storing seafood using ice);
• if you place the shrimp in a colander with ice, then the seafood will better retain its juiciness and tenderness (the colander must be placed in a saucepan so that the liquid does not accumulate in the shrimp, but flows into the container);
• most often shrimp are sold frozen, therefore, immediately after purchase, you need to decide when they will be eaten (if this period is not limited to 2 days, then, without allowing defrosting, seafood must be placed in the freezer);
• shrimp should not be stored in plastic bags or cling film (it is better to use foil or parchment paper for this);
• if the shrimp were purchased in a package, then it is necessary to open it only before eating them;
• in the refrigerator, shrimp should be placed in the coldest zone (bottom shelf of the refrigerator);
• shrimp quickly lose moisture, so they must be covered with a cloth or covered with crushed ice;
• it is necessary to defrost the shrimp in the refrigerator (to speed up this process, you can pre-fill the seafood with cold water and only then place the container in the cold, after defrosting, you can store the shrimp only for a day);
• you can preserve the taste properties of shrimp when frozen using foil (it is not necessary to wrap each shrimp in foil, this type of packaging should be replaced with a regular plastic bag).

If in the process of storing shrimp their appearance has ceased to be attractive, an unpleasant odor has become perceptible from seafood, or a plaque of any shade has become noticeable on their surface, then in no case should they be eaten. Poisoning with such products is considered the most dangerous for human health.

How much and at what temperature to store shrimp

If shrimps are bought chilled or need to be thawed, then they can only be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Keeping seafood open at the same time is not recommended due to its property of absorbing foreign odors. This is especially true for placing shrimp near smoked meats and cooked dishes. The optimum storage temperature for this type of seafood is from +2 to +6 degrees. If there is an opportunity to create cooler conditions for the shrimp, then it should be used.

The shrimp can be stored in the freezer for several months. It is recommended to eat them 3-4 months after the date of freezing. This is due primarily to the special property of seafood, while remaining fresh in appearance, to lose its taste characteristics. The shrimp become tasteless and lose their texture after 6 months of frozen storage.

You cannot store shrimp at room temperature.… They must be removed from the refrigerator just before cooking, and it is also recommended to defrost them in the cold.