Your shrimp arrives at the table. You’re salivating, ready to dive in. But then your gaze narrows in on the thin black line along the backs of each shellfish. As you’re about to rip into some prawns, the thought of “is that…shrimp poop?” and, perhaps more importantly, “is it okay for you to eat it?” passes you by.
The thought of eating poopy seafood makes me sick, but I didn’t want to give up shrimp just yet. I wanted to talk to food safety experts to find out what was really going on. Is that dark line really what it looks like? If so, should you be worried about eating it? Read on to find out what experts say.
That dark vein running along the back of a shrimp is actually its digestive tract. This can raise questions around preparing and eating shrimp properly. Is it unsafe to consume? Should you remove it? Here’s a thorough look at a shrimp’s anatomy, what that black line really is, and whether you can safely eat the entire shrimp – vein and all.
What Exactly is the Black Line on a Shrimp?
The thin black line found on the back of a raw shrimp is medically known as the dorsal tract or intestine. It runs along the top of the shell from head to tail.
This vein-like structure is part of the shrimp’s digestive system. It includes the
- Stomach
- Hepatopancreas (liver/pancreas organ)
- Intestine
As bottom-feeders, shrimp consume whatever they can forage in muddy seabeds – tiny plants, plankton, worms, fish parts, and sand particles. The black color comes from this diet, especially sand and sediment, moving through the digestive tract.
So in simple terms, yes, that shrimp vein does contain feces or poop!
Is the Vein Safe to Eat?
The thought of eating a shrimp’s poop vein may seem rather unappetizing. However, it generally won’t cause illness if the shellfish is cooked properly.
Potential pathogens are killed off when shrimp reaches an internal temperature of 145°F Eating completely raw or undercooked shrimp does pose a higher risk for food poisoning
As long as the shrimp is thoroughly cooked, the digestive tract itself is harmless to eat. The vein may add a gritty, sandy texture, but it does not contain anything toxic.
Those with shellfish allergies should still avoid it, as proteins could trigger a reaction For most people though, a well-cooked shrimp vein is safe to consume.
Should You Remove the Vein When Cooking Shrimp?
Deveining shrimp by removing the digestive tract is optional. It comes down to personal preference for texture and taste. Here are pros and cons:
Pros of removing vein:
- Eliminates gritty, sandy texture
- Results in smoother, more tender shrimp
- Removes strong digestive odors
- Improves presentation
Cons of removing vein:
- Time consuming prep step
- Risks damaging shrimp meat
- Removes some natural flavors
Many recipes instruct deveining shrimp beforehand. But if you don’t mind the textural differences or mild shellfish funk, leaving the vein intact is perfectly fine safety-wise.
How to Devein Shrimp Properly
If you opt to remove the vein, here is a simple deveining method:
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Peel off the shell, leaving tail intact if desired.
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Using a paring knife, make a shallow cut along the shrimp back to expose vein.
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Use the knife tip to lift out and remove the vein.
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Rinse cleaned shrimp under cool water.
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Pat dry with paper towels.
For best results, devein shrimp while still raw and fresh. Once cooked, the vein clings tightly to the flesh and leads to meat loss and tearing when removing.
Can You Eat a Shrimp Head’s Vein?
Shrimp heads also contain a portion of the digestive tract. This gives rise to questions around eating the heads whole.
As with the body’s vein, a shrimp head’s intestine is edible following thorough cooking. Frying or boiling heads until crispy kills any potential germs present.
The vein may give a stronger “funk” to the head’s flavor profile. But it does not make the heads unsafe to eat. Some cultures even consider the heads a delicacy!
Cooking Shrimp Vein-On withConfidence
While the shrimp digestive tract may look unappetizing raw, proper cooking allows you to safely consume and enjoy vein-intact shellfish. The steps below will help avoid any foodborne illness risk:
- Buy fresh, quality shrimp from a reputable seller
- Store shrimp properly chilled at 40°F or below
- Rinse shrimp just before cooking
- Cook to an internal temperature of 145°F
- Check for firm, opaque flesh when done
Following these guidelines, you can cook whole shrimp with the vein and experience the full range of textures and flavors these shellfish have to offer. Just focus on proper high-heat preparation.
So don’t be afraid to cook up shrimp vein-on! With adequate cooking, you can savor the entire shrimp and avoid any health concerns.
Have you tried cooking shrimp without deveining? Share your experiences eating the veins in the comments!
What’s that black line in shrimp?
The dark line running through the backs of shrimp goes by many names—the dorsal tract, back vein, or sand vein, Tori Stivers, MS, a seafood specialist at the University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, tells SELF. The marking is made up of the shellfish’s stomach, midgut, and intestine. Those structures support the crustacean’s digestive process, so yes, that black stuff is the shrimp’s waste, she says.
As for what you’re actually seeing there? Shrimp are called bottom feeders for a reason: They munch on foods found in the muddy depths of the ocean, like plankton, worms, microscopic animals, and various types of organic debris like sand. So that black line is likely a combination of all those things in various stages of digestion, Dave Love, PhD, a senior scientist at the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future, tells SELF.
Can eating shrimp’s poop make you sick?
Having established that the dark line is the shrimp’s intestines (okay, its poop), should you be afraid to eat it? It might look gross, but most people agree that it’s safe to eat as long as you cook it properly.
“Eating the shrimp’s digestive tract doesn’t make you sick—as long as you cook it thoroughly,” says Dr. Love. That means steaming, baking, frying, or whichever way you’re craving it, until it reaches 145°F. At this internal temperature, the shrimp will take on a firm texture.
That’s not to say you can’t get sick from eating shrimp in general. You can, but Dr. Paul says that eating shellfish raw or not cooked enough is usually what makes people sick. Love. For instance, just like ground beef, raw shrimp can contain bacteria like E. coli. But if you cook it all the way through, the heat will kill the bacteria and any other pathogens that could be harmful before they can mess up your digestive tract. So if you want to eat shrimp with the vein still in it, you might want to avoid raw shrimp sashimi and instead try them in a curry, stir-fry, garlicky pasta, or zesty taco.
FOOD DIGESTION TIME Comparison : How Long Does it Take to Digest These Foods?
Can you eat poop with shrimp?
However, consuming poop with shrimp affects this taste. It gives the shrimp a stony taste while eating. This bad taste is the primary reason it is vital to remove the poop from the shrimp. It is less enjoyable to consume poop with shrimp, but this cannot be said about bird poop or rat poop.
Is shrimp healthy to eat?
Shrimp is very healthy to eat, unless you have an allergy to shellfish. Shrimp is great because it is a low calorie, high protein food that is relatively inexpensive. Shrimp is also very versatile, so there are many recipes out there, meaning that you can eat shrimp multiple times a week each time in a different way. Don’t make shrimp your only protein source, because a healthy diet is also a varied diet.
Can you eat raw shrimp?
If you do eat raw shrimp, be sure to purchase it from restaurants and markets with a good reputation for cleanliness and safety. For the most part, though, organizations concerned with food safety recommend that you cook your seafood. Most seafood should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 F (63 C).
Is it safe to eat cooked shrimp?
As long as the shrimp is fully cooked, it’s not a food safety concern. That dark line that runs along the outside of shrimp is exactly what you feared: a digestive tube filled with the gritty remnants of the shrimp’s final meals. But, on to the good news! Despite the yuck factor, it’s safe to eat.