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Shrimps are vital seafood consumed all over the world. Shrimp is similar to prawns in appearance. Shrimp is a protein-rich food. It also contains a significant amount of cholesterol depends on the process of cooking.
There are a variety of ways to cook shrimp. If you can boil it, broil it, bake it and even sauté it.
Shrimps are also sold out to outlying areas from the sea. It is marketed as a portion of frozen food. Some preserve it in packets uncooked and sell it. On the other hand, some people sell cooked shrimps in packing.
Here is a point that is the frozen cooked and uncooked shrimps healthy or not. In this article, we highlight how long does a cooked shrimp last in the fridge.
How Long Does a Cooked Shrimp Last in the Fridge?
You have to consider many points when you want to keep cooked shrimp in the fridge. From where you have bought a shrimp is the first question. If you have picked fresh shrimp, you can cook and keep it in the fridge maximum for a week.
On the other hand, if you buy shrimp from the market, then keep in mind that it has already been through a long journey before reaching your plate.
How you cook and wrap the shrimp are the primary factors that affect shrimp storage in the fridge. If you cook shrimp properly and store it in a refrigerator after 2 hours of cooking, it will last for 3 to 4 days.
Moreover, it depends upon the packaging of cooked shrimp. To keep cooked shrimp fresh and healthy, you need to keep it in airtight containers.
You can also use heavy-duty aluminum foil packaging for cooked shrimp. You aim to prevent cooked shrimp from the air.
There are many bacteria present in our environment. If you keep the food uncovered, the bacterial attack can spoil it.
The temperature inside the fridge is 4C, which is low that prevent the growth of microorganisms. Therefore, cooked shrimp last in the fridge for three to four days.
Can You Freeze a Cooked Shrimp?
If you want to consume cooked shrimp in a few hours or days, then the fridge is the best option.
But if you’re going to preserve cooked shrimp for weeks or several months, then the fridge is not a better option to store shrimp for long periods.
In cold temperatures, bacterial growth retards but in a moist and cold environment, fungus grows. When you keep cooked shrimp in the fridge and prevent bacteria, you can do this for a few days. Because after 3 to 4 days, there will be a chance of a fungal attack on shrimp.
To keep cooked shrimp last for weeks and months, then a freezer is the best choice. Freezing can increase the shelf life of cooked shrimp.
You can preserve cooked shrimp in the freezer for almost two to three months. The coldest temperature of the freezer keeps food safe from spoilage.
Cooked shrimp is frozen at 0 degrees Centigrade always can keep shrimp safe indefinitely. Once you takeout shrimp from the freezer and defrost it, don’t freeze it again.
Is Frozen Shrimp as Good as Fresh?
The frozen shrimp remains as good as fresh if they have been raised responsibly. Correctly stored, frozen cooked shrimp last for months in the freezer, keeping its eating qualities.
Frozen shrimp get cooked quickly, taste good, and feel perfect for eating. The frozen shrimp will usually remain safe to eat after freezing.
If you left frozen shrimp left more than 2 hours at room temperature, you should discard it. Bacteria proliferate at a temperature between 40F to 140F.
Health Benefits of Shrimp
Shrimps have low carbs and calories. They are nutrient-rich; therefore, it is an excellent choice to shed some pounds.
Generally, it is nutrient-rich, but here is a point that how you cook shrimp. If you deep fry the shrimp or serve it with creamy sauce, you will go in the wrong direction.
Antioxidants present in shrimp have several health benefits. They safeguard your cells against damage. It also prevents your skin from wrinkle and sun damage.
Selenium in shrimp is helpful for the prevention of cancer and even enhances brain function.
Nutrients in the Shrimp:
Many people ask that is there any nutrient changes occur in frozen or fresh shrimp. The answer is so simple that frozen shrimps remain safe and healthy. The storage precautions are only for maintaining quality.
Frozen cooked shrimps last retain their nutrients and minerals. No changes occur in their protein content.
Even frozen shrimps have more nutrients as compared to fresh. It is because fresh shrimps lose minerals over time. While freezing, preserve nutrients for a long time.
Shrimps are made up of protein and water. 100 grams of cooked shrimp has the following minerals and nutrients at average:
- Calories: 99
- Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbs: 0.2 g
- Cholesterol: 189 mg
- Sodium: 111mg
- Protein: 24 g
Some other minerals and vitamins present in shrimps are phosphorus, copper, zinc, magnesium, calcium, potassium, iron, and manganese.
How Can You Recognize that Shrimp is Rotten?
The best way to recognize that cooked shrimp is healthy or rotten; you can smell it. Otherwise, you can realize it with color and texture.
If it has a rotten smell and slimy appearance, discard the shrimp.
Humans have natural five senses. You can also check your food’s freshness with these senses like touch, smell, sight, and taste. You can see a significant difference in the appearance and smell of fresh and rotten shrimps.
Appearance
When you see and touch fresh shrimp, it will be hard. On the other hand, if it gives a slimy appearance on touch, it will surely get rotten and not eatable.
You can also recognize raw shrimp is healthy to eat or not by its shell. Shell is a protecting coat on shrimp. If the shell is broken, the shrimp is not protected now.
Rotten shrimp loses its shape and also health benefits. It is not acceptable to eat now.
Odor
Smelling is an easy and necessary way to check either shrimp is suitable for consumption or not. An unpleasant smell will tell you that shrimp is rotten. You can feel this smell from a distance.
On the other side, if there is no smell, it means shrimp is suitable for consumption. Lousy and slimy shrimp can prove harmful for eating and cause food poisoning. Shrimp odors like ammonia you should avoid it from eating.
Color
Fresh shrimp have bright red color, while raw shrimps have a translucent appearance. If you notice any strange spots like brown and dark-colored spots, then avoid eating shrimp. It is not suitable for eating.
Shrimp expiry date, when you keep it in the fridge in different conditions:
- Fresh shrimps with shell last for 2 to 3 days in a fridge.
- Cooked shrimp lasts for 3 to 4 days in a fridge.
- Frozen shrimps last for 4 to 5 days in a fridge.
- Canned shrimp lasts for 6 to 8 months in a fridge.
Preparing Shrimp Before Cooking
- Take out frozen shrimp and soak it in salted water. Add two tablespoons of water to a quart of water.
- Keep shrimp in ice water before preparing. It is the best way to refresh shrimp. Before cooking, pat the shrimp with a paper towel.
- If you are going to boil shrimp, keep the shell on it. The shell protects the flavor of shrimps.
- Remove the black line that runs along the back of the shrimp. It is the digestive tract of shrimp.
If you love Thai food and don’t want to miss seafood, you must try this Thai shrimp soup.
Thai Shrimp Soup Recipe
- Preparation Time: 30 Minutes
- Serves: 2 Persons
- shrimps 200 grams
- salt to taste
- ginger 1 inch
- soup 3 cups
- onion 1 medium size
- brown sugar 1 tablespoon
- soya sauce 1 tablespoon
- curry paste 1 tablespoon
- 2 lemons
- Coconut milk 1 cup
- Corns 4 to 6
- Few coriander leaves
- 1 cup of water
- Cooking oil 2 tablespoon
Preparation Method :
- Wash the prawns. Cut them into small pieces. Chop the onion finely, peel and crush the ginger.
- Fry the onion in cooking oil in a pan till it becomes slightly soft.
- Then add soup and a cup of water, brown sugar, ginger paste.
- When it boils, reduce the heat and add the shrimps and cook for five to six minutes or until the shrimps color change.
- Then add coconut milk, chopped corns, soy sauce, and lemon juice. Cook until two to three boils and remove from the heat.
Conclusion
It is imperative to know that shrimp is nutrient-rich food and easy to cook. You are now able to preserve shrimps for a long time.
In this article, we highlight the preservation process of shrimps.
Moreover, now you come to know that how long does cooked shrimp last in the fridge. Shrimps have many health benefits and easy food to cook as compared to other kinds of seafood .
