Salted Frozen Shrimp

[Shel_B]

This morning I paid a visit to the local Trader Joe's and wandered over to the frozen sea food case as I was thinking of getting some shrimp to put into a salad. Reading the labels, I saw that every package of frozen shrimp, cooked or raw, from Thailand or Vietnam, contained salt.

WTF, thought I, is this something new? Is this a standard practice with frozen shrimp, or just TJ's frozen shrimp? Or just shrimp from Thailand and Vietnam? Why does the frozen shrimp need salt, or does it? Is the salt there to enhance the poor flavor of farmed shrimp? Or perhaps to afford some "protection" to the shrimp if it starts to defrost on the journey to the freezer?

Do other brands include salt? If anyone has frozen shrimp in their freezer, would you be kind enough to check the ingredients and post what you find, including the brand and where you bought the frosty crustaceans?

Thanks,

scb

[qrn]

This morning I paid a visit to the local Trader Joe's and wandered over to the frozen sea food case as I was thinking of getting some shrimp to put into a salad. Reading the labels, I saw that every package of frozen shrimp, cooked or raw, from Thailand or Vietnam, contained salt.

WTF, thought I, is this something new? Is this a standard practice with frozen shrimp, or just TJ's frozen shrimp? Or just shrimp from Thailand and Vietnam?  Why does the frozen shrimp need salt, or does it? Is the salt there to enhance the poor flavor of farmed shrimp?  Or perhaps to afford some "protection" to the shrimp if it starts to defrost on the journey to the freezer?

Do other brands include salt? If anyone has frozen shrimp in their freezer, would you be kind enough to check the ingredients and post what you find, including the brand and where you bought the frosty crustaceans?

Thanks,

scb

←

The bag I just looked at from china has 450mg per 85g...It says "sodium triphosphate added to retain moisture" I stopped buying the asian stuff and only buy the "wild caught US gulf "stuff..

Bud

[Dignan]

On an episode of Cook Illustrated they recommended buying frozen shrimp rather than shrimp from the case, because you cannot know how long it has been there -- with the frozen, you know when you thaw it.

Frozen shrimp often includes salt and tripolyphosphates. How that differs from sodium tripolyphosphate I don't know. It reduces drip loss, or, keeps moisture in the shrimp.

They recommended buying frozen shrimp without it, as it does nothing for the flavor. He showed a label, that indeed read "Ingredients: farm raised shrimp." In my area, I can find frozen shrimp without the TPP but not without salt as an ingredient.

[Shel_B]

The bag I just looked at from china has 450mg per 85g...It says "sodium triphosphate added to retain moisture" I stopped buying the asian stuff and only buy the "wild caught US gulf "stuff..

Bud

←

I looked up sodium triphospahe:

"In foods, STPP is used to retain moisture.

Many governments regulate the quantities

allowed in foods, as it can substantially

increase the sale weight of seafood in particular.

Many people find STPP to add an unpleasant

taste to food, particularly delicate seafood.

The taste tends to be slightly sharp and soapy

and is particularly detectable in mild-tasting

foods. The increased water holding properties

can also lead to a more diluted flavor in the food."

Does your wild caught Gulf shrimp contain salt?

scb

Edited August 24, 2008 by Shel_B (log)

[qrn]

The bag I just looked at from china has 450mg per 85g...It says "sodium triphosphate added to retain moisture" I stopped buying the asian stuff and only buy the "wild caught US gulf "stuff..

Bud

←

I looked up sodium triphospahe:

"In foods, STPP is used to retain moisture.

Many governments regulate the quantities

allowed in foods, as it can substantially

increase the sale weight of seafood in particular.

Many people find STPP to add an unpleasant

taste to food, particularly delicate seafood.

The taste tends to be slightly sharp and soapy

and is particularly detectable in mild-tasting

foods. The increased water holding properties

can also lead to a more diluted flavor in the food."

Does your wild caught Gulf shrimp contain salt?

scb

←

Its coming bulk, out of the seafood case, so there is no fed copy with it. I assume

(hopefully ) that its just as they caught it..

Bud

[HungryC]

Just say NO to those imported shrimp, please. I live on the LA coast, where many of my neighbors and friends are still attempting to make a living catching shrimp. Cheap imported shrimp (often pond-raised) is killing the domestic fishery. Cheaper isn't always better. Insist on wild-caught shrimp.