How to choose the right shrimp?

Shrimp can be marine and freshwater, and there are more than two thousand species of them. These seafood differ mainly in size. The palatability of different varieties of shrimp does not change too much. Care must be taken when choosing shrimps. Spoiled seafood is the cause of the most dangerous food poisoning.

Shrimp can be sold:

• chilled and frozen;
• cleaned and not cleaned;
• in packages and by weight.

Shrimps are classified as perishable seafood, so it is very rare to see them chilled on store shelves. They undergo the freezing process, as a rule, immediately after the catch. If seafood is sold chilled, then most likely it is defrosted shrimp. They should be eaten immediately after purchase, and under no circumstances should they be re-frozen. It is practically impossible to bring fresh seafood to another country.

How to choose shrimp

When choosing shrimps, one should evaluate their appearance, the degree of freshness and study the information on the packages. Seafood can be sold in containers or bags. They are often sold by weight. Information about the expiration date must not be omitted in any of these cases.

What shrimps can you buy:

• high-quality and fresh shrimps have a curled tail, and their color is uniform throughout the body;
• on the package with shrimps, numbers in the format 100/120, 80/100 must be indicated (such codes indicate the number of shrimps in the package, for example, from 100 to 120 or from 80 to 100);
• shrimp should not stick together (ice and snow should not be on them either);
• a green head of a shrimp is not a sign of spoilage (this feature is typical for certain varieties of shrimp);
• if the shrimp has a brown head, then this is a sign of the presence of caviar (in terms of nutritional properties, such seafood is the most useful);
• the size of the shrimp often indicates their variety, and not age (the smallest can be up to 2 cm, and the largest reach 30 cm);
• it is believed that shrimp caught in cold waters are tastier and more juicy;
• the color of the shrimp should be rich, not pale (color may vary depending on the type of seafood);
• the package with shrimp should contain the most complete information about the manufacturer, including address, phone number and e-mail.

What shrimps are not worth buying:

• old shrimp can be distinguished by dry shell and yellow streaks on the body (such seafood will have a tough consistency);
• black spots on the surface of the shell also indicate the “advanced” age of the shrimp (darkening is clearly visible on the legs);
• there should be no ice and snow in the shrimp bag, otherwise it will be a sign of repeated freezing of seafood;
• if the shrimp has a black head, then the seafood is infected with some kind of disease (in no case should such shrimp be eaten);
• – if the tail of the shrimp is straight, then this is a sign that it was frozen dead (it will not be possible to find out the cause of the death of the shrimp, therefore it cannot be consumed);
• you should not buy shrimp if they are radically different in size (in this way, manufacturers can dilute expensive seafood with cheap varieties);
• you should treat shrimps in red plastic bags with caution (this color reliably sets off changes in the color of shrimps when they are not stored correctly, so red packages should be studied very carefully).
• pale pink shrimp become as a result of improper storage (color changes with repeated temperature changes).

Experts recommend buying unpeeled shrimp. After being cooked in a shell, these seafood will taste better. In addition, producers can use chemical formulations to clean the shrimp. When choosing seafood sold by weight or in packaging, the second option should be preferred. The package contains the most complete information that will be extremely difficult to obtain from the seller.