Prawns and prawns They are the king of the table at many Christmas dinners. There are people who do not eat them almost all year round, but at this time they leave a place for them in their menu. So it would be a shame if once a year your seafood turned out to be bad. It’s a feeling we sometimes get when we see certain characteristics. black spots on shrimp and prawns. But do these stains really mean they’ve gone bad?
The truth is, no. Black spots on shrimp are the result of a natural process known as melanism. This always happens a few hours after the death of these animals. It can be slowed down with certain tricks, but there usually comes a point when it’s unavoidable, and that doesn’t mean seafood shouldn’t be eaten. It is true that there are some fish and shellfish diseases that cause black spots, but these are the least common.
Usually those typical black spots on shrimp that they start in the head and spreading to the rest of the body do not mean anything bad. They are completely safe to eat.
Why do black spots appear on shrimp?
Black spots on shrimp appear when 10 hours after death the enzyme begins to oxidize phenolic compounds that occur naturally in these animals. As explained in the magazine article My food industry technologist Miguel Angel Luruenha, the mechanism is almost the same as what causes browning the fruit. In the case of fruits and vegetables, stains occur when enzymes and phenolic compounds come into contact after impact. They are usually in separate compartments in the chambers, as if we had two glass marbles in a bag. However, upon impact, the balls break, and everything inside the bag remains intact.
With shrimp and shrimp, this happens without the need for beating. Deterioration occurs after the death of the animaland this is when the enzymes can access the phenolic compounds, causing black spots on the shrimp. As we have seen, this begins to occur 10 hours after death, although in fact the spots do not become visible until 24 hours later.
Can they be prevented?
There are several ways to prevent black spots from appearing on shrimp. For example, you can freeze seafood very quickly after capture. Thus, the appearance of spots slows down until 10 hours have passed after the death of the animal. You can also reheat seafood. Enzymes are proteins and are therefore often denatured by heat. This means that they undergo a number of structural changes that prevent them from performing their function. In this case, this function is to oxidize phenolic compounds, so the appearance of black spots on shrimp can be avoided.
You can also chemically process seafoodwith substances such as sulfites. The problem is that many people are sensitive or allergic to these supplements. Actually, that’s why they mandatory labeling statement.
To avoid resorting to them, some scientists have researched and continue to research the use of plant-derived substances that can prevent the appearance of black spots on shrimp. It is curious that among the analyzed plants and fruits there are avocadoknown for its dark spots.
What disease can cause black spots to appear in shrimp?
Mushroom Fusarium Solani may cause a condition known as black spot diseasewhich affects both shrimp and shrimp. Black spots also appear due to a bacterial disease known as vibriosis.
Usually the infection only affects the cuticle of these animals, so after molting they are eliminated. However, in some cases it can penetrate inside. If this happens, it will be easy to detect, since black spots appear on animals while they are still alive. Immediately after capture they will be discovered, just as in health checks corresponding.
Moreover, many of these pathogens require temperatures lower than the human body, so they cannot affect us after eating seafood. Despite all this, if we see black spots on shrimp, it is normal that it is just a case of melanism, completely harmless. It’s not pleasing to the eye; But until avocados come along to solve this problem, we’ll have to suck it up and eat them knowing nothing will happen.
Source: Hiper Textual
