People who love eating crayfish all call themselves "Miao Xiao Kong". Miao Xiao Kongs not only excel in the quantity they consume, but are also particular about the flavor. Let's see how everyone expresses their love for eating crayfish~
The crayfish head contains a very delicious ingredient, which is the roe, commonly known as "roe". When a female crayfish matures, its head and neck will contain roe. Therefore, a crayfish with roe must be a female. However, the absence of roe does not necessarily mean it's a male, as immature females will also not have visible roe.
So, should you eat the crayfish head or not?
The head and thorax of a crayfish are not distinctly separated and are collectively called the cephalothorax. The cephalothorax contains a structure called the pericardial sinus, which includes the stomach, liver, heart, a pair of testes/ovaries, the antennal gland (also called the green gland because it's green), the bladder, and the excretory pore. The crayfish's abdomen only contains the rectum and anus. Simply put, the excretory and metabolic processes of a crayfish occur in the head. The crayfish head also contains the liver and other metabolic organs, which can accumulate substances like heavy metals.
Whether you should eat the roe depends on the crayfish's growing environment. If the crayfish were raised in unclean water and have accumulated substances like heavy metals in their heads, the roe, being the gonad located next to the liver, can also become contaminated. In this case, it's best not to eat the roe. However, experts also say that as long as you can distinguish the gray liver from the roe and the consumption amount is not large, there is no problem. If the crayfish were raised in clean water, then you can enjoy the delicious roe without worry~
What is the shrimp vein?
The shrimp vein is actually the crayfish's "digestive tract," which is where the crayfish excretes waste. The vein on the back of the crayfish is undigested waste. If eaten, it can have a muddy, fishy taste in the mouth, affecting your appetite, so it should be removed. Generally speaking, the crayfish's digestive system, such as the intestine, tends to accumulate heavy metals. For food safety, the black shrimp vein should also be removed.
So, Miao Xiao Kongs, do you always remove the roe and the shrimp vein when you eat crayfish? (Image source: Visual China)