Raw Fresh Pacific White Shrimp

Fudio/iStock/GettyImages

At all-time, bad shrimp tin can event in a seafood dish that doesn't taste practiced. At worst, bad shrimp can cause potentially unsafe food poisoning that volition have you regretting that you ever thought to eat one of the tasty crustaceans. Either way, it's vital to know all of the signs of spoiled shrimp, so you tin toss them in the trash before you lot toss them in your mouth.

Like many types of seafood, shrimp tin can spoil quickly at a warmer temperature, even within a few hours, so take a close look at this hands perishable nutrient earlier you lot begin prepping your repast.

First Affair's First: Smell the Shrimp

Your raw shrimp should either not smell strongly at all or smell slightly of common salt. If they smell strongly "fishy," you lot might want to laissez passer them up. If they smell like ammonia or bleach, absolutely toss them: That's the sign that at that place's bacteria growing on them.

Warning

If your shrimp smells bad, don't taste it to confirm that information technology isn't adept – that's a groovy mode to get food poisoning.

Next, Touch the Shrimp

Raw shrimp should be firm to the touch and non mushy. They should have business firm, unbroken shells. If the shells are broken and soggy, or if the shrimp is at all slimy (as opposed to only wet), play it safety and throw the bad shrimp abroad – and and then launder your hands thoroughly.

Examine the Shrimp for Red Flags

Finally, employ your eyes to examine the shrimp. The shells should be translucent and colorless, while the shrimp itself should be white and pink/peach. What does bad shrimp expect like? Black spots on the tail or shell is likely deterioration and a sign that the shrimp is aging. White patches on the shrimp are probable freezer fire – the shrimp may not exist potentially unsafe in this example, but they might not sense of taste every bit good every bit you desire them to.

If the shrimp have intact heads, you can examine the shellfish's eyes to pinpoint their freshness. If their optics are glossy and moist, they're likely fresh. if they are dry, shrunken or missing birthday, the shrimp may be old.

Check the Best past Date or Sell by Date

Some leaner in shrimp can't be detected past the human senses, so don't completely rely on touch, smell or even taste. Check the Best by Date and/or Sell past Engagement to see if you're still in a prophylactic window for consuming the shrimp. If your shrimp is more than 4 days past these dates, stay on the safe side and order a pizza.

What's the Shelf Life of Shrimp?

The shelf life of shrimp depends on a number of factors, such as their size and whether they've been shelled or not. But here are the ranges:

  • Raw, shelled shrimp will concluding in the refrigerator for a day or two.
  • Raw, shell-on shrimp volition terminal in the refrigerator for two or iii days.
  • Cooked shrimp will concluding in the refrigerator for 3 or four days.
  • Cooked or raw shrimp can be frozen for two to three months.

To store shrimp properly, pack it loosely in an airtight container.

Thawing Frozen Shrimp

Frozen shrimp can be thawed overnight in the fridge or on the counter for a couple of hours. To be safe, thawed shrimp should be cooked within 24 hours of thawing.

How Can Y'all Find the Freshest Shrimp?

The freshest shrimp can exist institute on the coasts or at outlets that advertise fresh, off-the-gunkhole seafood or seafood that has been defenseless recently and locally. Wild shrimp generally has a amend sense of taste than farmed shrimp.

The side by side-freshest shrimp may be the shrimp yous find in the frozen section of your grocery store – these shrimp were frozen soon after they were caught, and they haven't been thawed since. The shrimp at your seafood counter has probable been frozen and and then thawed, and it tin be hard to know how long they've been sitting out waiting to be bought. However, the shrimp at your seafood counter tin can be examined for freshness before you buy it, unlike frozen shrimp that'south already packaged.

References

Writer Bio

Sarah Aswell is a freelance writer living in Montana.

Y'all MAY Likewise Similar