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.
Shrimp are delicious, versatile shellfish enjoyed around the world. But when preparing shrimp at home or ordering them at a restaurant you may notice a thin black line running along the back. This naturally leads to the question – is that shrimp poop? And if so, is it safe and advisable to eat?
As someone who loves shrimp but also has a sensitive stomach, I used to steer clear of the black stuff out of caution. But I decided to do some research with food scientists to find out whether eating shrimp “poop” is truly problematic or simply unappealing in theory.
Keep reading for a full explainer on what that black shrimp line really is, whether ingesting it can make you sick, and how to avoid it if you’d rather not dine on crustacean waste.
What Exactly Is That Black Line in Shrimp?
The dark stripe found in the backs of shrimp goes by several names, including the dorsal tract, intestinal vein, digestive tract, or sand vein. But they all refer to the same thing – the shellfish’s digestive system, according to seafood experts.
This black marking is composed of the shrimp’s stomach, midgut, and intestine. These organs are involved in digestion and waste elimination.
When you look closely at the black stuff, you’ll likely see particulate matter like:
- Plankton
- Worms
- Microscopic animals
- Organic debris
- Sand
- Partial digested waste
Shrimp are bottom feeders, meaning they scavenge food found in the muddy ocean floor. So that black vein contains a mixture of all the components they ingest, in various phases of being broken down and absorbed.
Can Eating Shrimp Poop Make You Sick?
Now that we’ve confirmed the black substance is fecal matter, is consuming it dangerous?
The good news is, according to food safety specialists, eating thoroughly cooked shrimp poop does not pose a health hazard. The key is proper cooking to eliminate bacteria and pathogens.
Potential sources of illness from shrimp include:
- Raw shrimp may contain Salmonella, Vibrio, E. coli, and other bacteria
- Undercooked shrimp allows bacteria to survive
- Cross-contamination from handling raw shrimp
As long as you cook shrimp to an internal temperature of 145°F, any lurking microbes will be killed off before consumption.
At this temperature, shrimp flesh becomes opaque and firms up. Boiling, grilling, baking, sautéing, and frying all work fine.
The black intestinal vein itself does not harbor anything that can make you ill. Just be sure to cook shrimp thoroughly and avoid eating them raw, such as in sushi or ceviche.
Do You Need to Devein Shrimp?
Deveining (sometimes called desanding) shrimp refers to removing the digestive tract prior to cooking. Since ingesting it when fully cooked is not a health risk, deveining is optional.
Here are some pros of deveining:
- Removes gritty sand particles for better texture
- Prevents black specks in dishes like shrimp pasta
- Improves appearance if served whole and shell-on
- Some people find it unappetizing
Reasons you may choose to leave the vein intact:
- It’s time consuming
- You lose a tiny bit of shrimp flesh
- The flavor is unaffected
- Appearance doesn’t matter if chopped or shelled
Many commercial shrimp producers now sell “E-Z peel” shrimp that have been pre-deveined for convenience.
If you do want to devein at home, use scissors to cut a shallow slit along the back then use the tip to lift out the black tract. Rinse well after. It’s easiest when raw.
Tips for Safely Enjoying Shrimp
Here are some recommendations for savoring shrimp without worry:
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Inspect raw shrimp for freshness. Discard if they smell fishy or ammonia-like.
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Wash hands, prep tools, and surfaces after handling raw shrimp to avoid cross-contamination.
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Cook to 145°F or until flesh is firm and opaque. Boiling, grilling, sautéing all work well.
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For milder flavor, devein first but it’s not required for safety.
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Refrigerate cooked shrimp within 2 hours; use within 3-4 days.
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When dining out, ask how shrimp are prepared if the black line grosses you out.
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In shrimp salad or pasta, the black vein often blends in and becomes less visible.
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If the vein skeeves you out, order shelled shrimp or shrimp without tails.
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Stick to fully cooked shrimp if you have a sensitive stomach. Avoid raw or undercooked.
Nutrition Info for Shrimp
Now that we’ve covered shrimp poop safety, here’s a quick look at the nutrition you get in a thoroughly cooked, 3-ounce serving:
- 120 calories
- 24g protein
- 1g fat
- 22% DV selenium
- 100% DV vitamin B12
Shrimp offer lots of protein, antioxidants like selenium, and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. A tasty and nutritious choice!
Tasty Ways to Eat Perfectly Cooked Shrimp
Once you’ve conquered the shrimp poop dilemma, there are endless tasty ways to enjoy properly prepared shrimp:
- Shrimp scampi pasta
- Coconut shrimp curry
- Blackened shrimp tacos
- Buffalo shrimp lettuce wraps
- Cajun shrimp over grits
- Air fried shrimp with cocktail sauce
- Broiled shrimp skewers
- Shrimp fried rice
- Shrimp salad sandwiches
- Garlicky sautéed shrimp
- Shrimp bisque or gumbo
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.