Red dried shrimps are often mistaken for high-quality ones, but this is not the case. Beneath their bright red exterior lies a little-known secret.
In the past, media reports have frequently exposed that some unscrupulous vendors, in pursuit of a better appearance for their dried shrimps, use industrial salt and dyes to "beautify" them. Consuming these "beautified" shrimps in excess can pose a cancer risk. Many people began to wonder, aren't the redder the dried shrimps, the fresher they are? In fact, shrimp are indeed red, but they lose their original color during the cooking process, making them look less appealing. For economic gain, vendors add chemicals during processing to improve their appearance.
Use of Industrial Salt
Normally, properly processed dried shrimps should use edible salt. However, producers often use industrial salt to reduce costs. The term "industrial salt" is broad and can sometimes refer to pure sodium nitrite, and other times to sodium chloride (table salt) containing sodium nitrite.
The industrial salt we commonly refer to is sodium chloride for industrial use, which often contains harmful substances like sodium nitrite. After entering the human body, sodium nitrite can oxidize ferrous hemoglobin in the blood into methemoglobin, causing it to lose its oxygen-carrying function. This leads to tissue ischemia and can easily cause symptoms like dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea, and general weakness. An intake of just three grams can be fatal. Long-term, low-dose consumption of industrial salt can cause significant damage to the kidneys and liver.
Addition of Dyes: The main purpose of adding dyes is to make the color look fresher and more appealing. If edible dyes are used, they are permitted in food by national standards. However, using industrial dyes, which can be mistakenly consumed, also poses a health risk. Therefore, when purchasing, you can try drawing with the dried shrimp on a damp white paper. Dyed shrimps will leave a red or yellow mark.
How to choose high-quality dried shrimps?
Look
A curved shape indicates that the shrimp was processed from live ones, while a relatively straight shape suggests it was made from dead shrimp. High-quality dried shrimps have a golden color with varying shades of natural red.
Smell
Good dried shrimps have a rich aroma. If there is a pungent smell, they should be chosen with caution.
Touch
They should not be sticky to the touch; the drier the better. The better the resilience of the curved shrimp, the higher the quality.
Taste
A taste that is too salty indicates excessive salt. A good quality shrimp is chewy with a fresh and slightly sweet flavor.