"Jumbo" Shrimp

[bavila]

Is there an accepted standard count for shrimp that are called "jumbo"? Is it strictly relative?

[FistFullaRoux]

The FDA, AFAIK, does not regulate the labels on fresh shrimp. My guess is because you can usually see it and inspect it yourself, you know what size they are. Canned shrimp, and to a lesser extent frozen prepared shrimp, are regulated as far as size on the label.

So your grocer can label them whatever they wish to.

eta: found this in the Southeastern Fisheries Association's "shrimp code".

SIZE GRADES: Shrimp are customarily sold by the count or number of individual headless, shell-on shrimp per pound. Buyers should not order shrimp by descriptive names, i.e., jumbo, large, medium. Ordering by counts is more precise and understandable.

Edited June 7, 2007 by FistFullaRoux (log)

[HungryC]

In Louisiana, shrimp called "jumbos" are typically 20 count per pound or less. Like Roux says, count per pound is the only "real" measure of shrimp size.