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.
As a shrimp lover, I’ve always been curious about that thin black line that runs along the back of every shrimp. Is it veins? Muscle tissue? Or something more unsavory? I decided to find out once and for all – where is the shrimp poop located?
In this article we’ll uncover the truth about
- What that black line actually is
- Whether it’s safe to eat
- If you need to remove it
- How to remove it if desired
- And why some cultures embrace eating the whole shrimp “poop line” and all!
First, let’s start with what that black stripe is.
The Black Shrimp Line is Its Digestive Tract
After consulting food scientists, marine biologists, and chefs, the consensus is that the black line in shrimp is part of its digestive system. Specifically, it’s comprised of the stomach, intestines, and the hepatopancreas, which filters waste.
This dark streak is sometimes referred to as the sand vein, intestinal vein, dorsal tract, or digestive tract. But in plain terms, it’s a shrimp’s poop chute – where digestion occurs and waste passes.
The contents of this tract can include:
- Partially digested plankton
- Microscopic creatures
- Worms
- Organic debris
- Sand granules
In other words, it’s the seafood version of animal guts. Not very appetizing, but more on whether it’s safe to eat later.
Where Exactly is the Poop?
Shrimp are bottom feeders, meaning they scavenge food particles from the ocean floor. As they consume a mix of plants, animals, and sand on the murky seabed, the food passes through the digestive tract that runs down their backs from head to tail.
So when you peel away the shell, that long black line is where waste products are processed before being expelled from the other end of the shrimp. The poop quite literally travels down this “vein” or intestinal canal as it moves through the digestive system.
On large shrimp, the tract is more evident as it shows through the semi-translucent flesh. But even small shrimp have this dark stripe along the dorsal side. Next time you peel a prawn, look closely and you’ll see it.
Is Eating the Poop Unsafe?
Now that we’ve established the black line is essentially shrimp poop, is it dangerous to eat?
The answer may surprise you – no, not really, according to food safety experts.
The shrimp digestive tract and its contents don’t pose a health risk, provided you cook the shrimp thoroughly until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.
At this point, any potential bacteria or pathogens are neutralized. So a cooked shrimp “poop line” is safe to eat and won’t make you sick.
Where you can run into trouble is eating undercooked or raw shrimp. Raw seafood often contains bacteria that heat kills. So sushi-style shrimp or undercooked stir-fries may harbor dangerous microorganisms.
But thoroughly cooked shrimp, vein and all, are perfectly fine to eat. Though it may still gross out the squeamish!
Do You Need to Remove the Poop Vein?
Since the shrimp vein doesn’t pose a health hazard once cooked, do you need to bother removing it?
It’s purely personal preference. Some people are turned off by the idea of consuming shrimp intestines. For others, it’s a non-issue.
Those who like to devein their shrimp cite:
- Improved texture – deveined shrimp are smoother
- Better flavor – no unpleasant bitterness
- Appearance – looks more appetizing
But it’s not imperative for food safety, simply an aesthetic choice.
How to Devein Shrimp
If you opt to remove the digestive tract, here are some easy methods:
- Use a paring knife to slice along the back of the raw shrimp. Then use the knife tip to lift out the vein.
- Employ shrimp deveiners – specialized utensils designed for this purpose.
- Purchase pre-deveined, peeled shrimp to skip this step entirely.
It’s easiest to devein raw shrimp. Once cooked, the meat sticks stubbornly to the tract. Trying to remove it from cooked shrimp usually destroys the delicate meat.
Some cultures like India and Asia actually prefer to cook and eat shrimp with the vein intact. More nourishment! So you have options.
The Takeaway
While the idea of consuming shrimp intestines may not appeal to all, it’s not hazardous if thoroughly cooked. The black shrimp line is simply the crustacean’s digestive tract.
While you can remove it for appearance and texture, it’s not imperative for food safety. So let your personal preference guide you whether to embrace or discard the shrimp poop!
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.
[ FASTEST SAFEST ] DEVEIN shrimp REMOVING SHRIMP POOP – DEVEIN
Can you eat shrimp poop?
You can get rid of this by a process called deveining, but it isn’t necessary in order to enjoy eating the shrimp, as it is simply a cosmetic issue. Many people are concerned that they are eating the poop of the animal, because that’s what it looks like, and it’s not an appetizing thought.
Do shrimps have poop in them?
The top line on the back of the shrimp is an intestine or abdominal artery.It does contain the “poop” or waste of the shrimp. This, I believe, should be removed before eating.On the underside there is a bluer,thinner line which is the blood line of the shrimp. Some people remove it and some just eat it along with the shrimp.
Do shrimp eat fishes poop?
While shrimps don’t eat fish poop, they eat and can clean up your tank. They clean after dead insects, plants, algae, or food leftovers in the fish tank or pond. For that reason, they’re known as cleanup crews. Dead aquatic animals. Having dead fish in a pond or aquarium is inevitable.
Is it okay to eat shrimp poop?
it depends its mostly just plants and plankton yum yum but as long as you know the shrimp were clean and never tainted during their lifetime then your safe its actually fun eating poop sometimes good laughs