Help with raw shrimp color
I bought raw, red Argentina shrimp. In the fridge, I noticed the legs looked like they turned blackish-blue. Does this mean they went bad?
Best Answer
No, blue legs in and of itself is not an indicator of bad shrimp. Many, if not most (or all), shrimp, lobster, and crayfish are coloured various blues, aquas, and greens before cooking at which point they get their traditional red look.
Pictures about "Help with raw shrimp color"
What color should raw shrimp be?
When shrimp is raw, it tends to look quite gray in color and even a bit translucent. However, after shrimp has been cooked, it should do a 180-degree turn and be white with pops of pink or red. You also shouldn't be able to see into the shrimp anymore.Why is my raw shrimp pink?
Shrimp Color If you're buying raw shrimp, they should be white and slightly transparent. If you are buying cooked shrimp, they should be pink. Bad shrimp look discolored, and that discoloration might indicate that the flesh is spoiled.Why is my raw shrimp blue?
That's right, that blue dye is blood. Crustaceans, like the prawn, crab, and lobster, and horseshoe crabs have hemocyanin in their blood to transport oxygen instead of hemoglobin, which we have. Hemocyanin has copper in it to give it its color rather than the iron hemoglobin has.Why are some raw shrimp pink and some grey?
Perhaps from uncooked shrimp, but still not likely. There are just too many. This answer is completely right @DrisheenColcannon, if they are grey they are raw, pink they are cooked and there are no exceptions to this. If pink shrimp was being sold as raw it's simply mislabeled.DO THIS TO IMPROVE THE COLOR OF YOUR SHRIMP + EXCITING NEWS!
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Lukas, Karolina Grabowska, monicore, SHVETS production