or packaged:
The shrimp is caught, then boiled in sea water, frozen and glazed. All imported Atlantic shrimp are ALREADY ready to eat and do not require additional cooking (on the contrary: cooking will kill the product).
In fact, the brand does not matter: the shrimp is the same everywhere. What is the catch?
Any shrimp is "calibrated" during production. Arranged in size ranges. Atlantic shrimp are sized as follows: 50/70, 60/80, 70/90, 90/120 and even 120+. The numbers indicate the number of pieces per kilogram. Accordingly, the smaller the numbers, the larger the shrimp. And here the most interesting begins.
Initially, the manufacturer calibrates the FRESH shrimp. After freezing and glazing (covering with a protective ice crust), the weight of the product increases. Usually, the manufacturer has quality A (these are frozen shrimp that can withstand the declared size range) and quality B. In both cases, the shrimp is the same, but such an amount of ice is wound on quality "B" that "increases" its size range by one position. That is, in fact, there are no shrimp 50/70 as "B": how 50/70 will be sold filled with water 70/90; as 70/90, 90/120 will go, and in the lowest price segment there will be pieces of ice, with 120+ shrimp lonely inside (which are not even shrimp, but krill).
This is pure fraud.
The price of a shrimp is VERY dependent on size. For example, the difference in the price of raw materials between a 50/70 and a 90/120 size can exceed three dollars. And this is the price at the manufacturer's factory: without transport, customs fees and margins of the importer and the supermarket. Judge for yourself how great the temptation is to cheat with size ranges.
Why is the manufacturer doing this? At the request of the importer, of course. It doesn’t really matter to the manufacturer how to sell: there are raw materials that cost a certain amount of money and there are ways to reduce the cost of the final product by some fraudulent methods. But it is not the manufacturer who is cheating, it is the importer who is cheating in collusion with the supermarket (the importer always knows what he is buying). And such fraud is stimulated primarily by the consumer: as long as you continue to buy ice in stores, they will continue to sell it to you.
What is worth paying attention to?
1. On the amount of ice. In Kyiv, there are specialized stores selling the so-called "dry" shrimp. After defrosting, there is practically no water in the plate: this indicates that you bought the right product. Such a shrimp is expensive, but in fact this is the price of the product that you pay in any case (whatever you buy). You just don't get fooled here.
2. If there is snow in the bag with shrimp, then the temperature regime has been violated. Do not buy.
3. White spots on the shell - the temperature regime was violated. Do not buy.
There is another argument against shrimp with a lot of ice. In the past, overglazed shrimp were imported from the manufacturer (i.e. up to 50 percent ice was wrapped directly at the factory, after which the shrimp was packed and sent to the buyer). Now importers import "dry" shrimp in order not to pay customs duties for ice (fees are paid for the declared weight of the product). After that, glazing is already carried out in our country. This is an additional contact of the product with air, a violation of the temperature regime and (again) - a hoax. Do you need it? Don't buy this crap, you're fooling yourself.
2. Shrimp vanamei.
Wanamey - artificially produced shrimp (unlike Atlantic). It is usually produced in China.
Supplied in a whole shell (as in the first photo), cleaned with a tail:
as well as in sushi bars and restaurants like "sushi"-shrimp:
Also, vanamei is often present in the expensive segment of sea cocktails (with scallops, mussels, etc.) and there it is called "royal" or "tiger". I assure you, there is no and cannot be tiger shrimp in any cocktails: the difference in price between vanamey and real tiger shrimp is so significant that it makes no economic sense. So it's a scam too :)
I will not escalate about Chinese quality (China makes a variety of things of very different quality). I will say what the Chinese themselves told me about vanamey: you should not get carried away with it. Personally, I eat it in sushi bars, but I don’t buy it at home: the Atlantic is healthier and tastier.
Wanamei is on average larger than an Atlantic shrimp (I mean - larger than what is in our stores) + much brighter in appearance. In supermarkets, these two positions usually lie side by side and there are no problems with identification.
What to pay attention to? Except perhaps for the amount of ice, because vanamei is also glazed not at the manufacturer's plant, but at the importer's plant.
3. "Tiger" shrimp.
This shrimp belongs to the highest price segment, so they hardly cheat with it. They don’t wind up excess water, they don’t chemically deal with size ranges, and it is usually supplied packaged in such boxes:
Like Chinese, this shrimp is farmed (i.e. artificially bred). According to the size ranges, it is distributed as follows: 13/15, 16/20, 21/25 pieces per kilogram, respectively. The difference in price between 13/15 and 21/25 can be as high as five dollars, so they bring us something that is smaller.
What is there to pay attention to? I don't know because I haven't had much experience with this product. Like Chinese tiger prawns, I don't really like them (unless they are fried with soy sauce and garlic). Personally, I use them to decorate paella. And nothing else :)
Separately, there are so-called peeled shrimps, or
4. Peeled shrimp.
I have never seen them by weight (as in the first photo), we sell them in vacuum packaging. After defrosting, at best, 70 percent of the declared weight remains from them, but there’s nothing to be done: I simply don’t know where to get an alternative.
There are two types of peeled (or "cocktail") shrimp: Atlantic and Chinese :)
You need Atlantic. In restaurants (with a probability of 99 percent) they use Chinese ones due to their cheapness. The nuance is that Chinese peeled shrimp do not tolerate heat treatment, so they are used exclusively for salads.
If you are buying peeled shrimp for yourself, look first of all at the country of origin. Estonia, Denmark, Norway, Iceland (and the whole area) - that's what you need. China - you got it :)
Finally, a personal opinion. I personally consider only Atlantic shrimp to be a real delicacy product. In expensive restaurants we are treated with "royal" prawns at exorbitant prices, creating the illusion of "eliteness", but they are really tasteless :). The structure of the meat is very different from the Atlantic. And far from in favor of the "royal" shrimp.
However, there is no dispute about tastes.
Our article will not only help you learn how to determine the size of shrimp, but also tell you about these unusual creatures. Today, shrimp are distributed almost throughout the planet. These marine inhabitants also mastered many fresh water bodies, but even this seemed not enough to lovers of their valuable and tasty meat. That is why shrimp are also artificially grown on farms. There are a huge number of species that differ from each other in taste, color, composition, size.
Some breeds were bred artificially, but not at all for subsequent consumption, but for the sake of aesthetic pleasure. also come in different sizes: both large and small. Anyone who loves the magical underwater world can populate the aquarium with the kind of inhabitants that he likes.
You will learn from our article a lot of useful things for anyone who is interested in shrimp: size, photo, color, culinary value and many other interesting facts about these animals.
Peculiarities
Shrimps belong to the class of higher crayfish. The closest relatives of these arthropods are crabs, crayfish, wood lice and amphipods.
As you might guess from the name of the order, shrimp have 5 pairs of legs. Almost all representatives of the infraorder also have a pair of whiskers.
The body of the shrimp is segmented, the tail is bent towards the abdomen. Sexual dimorphism is practically not expressed, but in most species the male is slightly more intensely colored than the female. But during the breeding season, you can quickly determine the female by the presence of a clutch of eggs, which is stored on the abdomen between the legs.
Specialists have a huge number of types of shrimp. The size of their representatives varies from 2 to 30 centimeters.
Shrimps and their importance in cooking
It is difficult to list all the peoples in the world who consider shrimp a national product. They are adored by Italians and French, Spaniards and Greeks, residents of South America, Australia, Oceania, the Far East and many other regions in which this arthropod lives. Some cuisines of the world are simply impossible to imagine without shrimp dishes: boiled, grilled, smoked, marinated, fried with hot spices.
Shrimps are served in inexpensive bars and luxurious restaurants. The price tag for dishes with them varies in a huge range. Luckily, you don't have to go to a restaurant to enjoy this delicacy, you can make them at home too.
Once upon a time, residents of many regions remote from the seas and oceans could only dream of such dishes and enjoy them only on trips. But these days, many species are quite affordable. You can easily find shrimp in any supermarket. Size 90 is considered the most common. But what does this number mean? Now we will understand this.
What is a caliber?
Surely you have come across similar markings when choosing products. The word "caliber" can be read not only on the packaging of shrimp, but also on a jar of olives, olives and other delicacies. Of course, we are talking about size. The caliber indicates the size of the shrimp.
What does the number mean? The answer to this question is easy to remember. We are talking about the number of individuals in a kilogram. It follows from this that the smaller the number, the larger the size of the shrimp. Each caliber is good in its own way and suitable for different dishes.
small shrimps
In many countries of the world, such a trifle is not particularly popular. But the size of shrimp 90/120 has a number of advantages. The main advantage of a small caliber, as you might guess, is the price.
Small shrimps are great for adding to salads, smoothies, sauces. You can decorate them with toasts, canapes, vol-au-vents, pizza, sandwiches. You can also make soup with 90/120 shrimp.
The color of most varieties varies from soft pink to rich peach. The taste of small shrimps is usually pronounced.
There is an even smaller caliber of shrimp. Surely everyone who has ever been to Odessa has tried or at least seen an unusual delicacy, which the locals call crustaceans. This species is found in the coastal zone of the Black Sea, and only gauze and a bucket are required to catch it. In most countries of the world, similar varieties are used only in the preparation of feed for animals and commercial fish, but every inhabitant of Odessa considers a small bag of crustaceans to be one of the symbols of South Palmyra. This trifle is prepared quite simply - boiled in salted boiling water.
medium size shrimp
Shrimp size 70/90 is often chosen by those who are going to cook pasta or pilaf. This category is also relatively affordable.
As we already know, this marking indicates the number of shrimp. In one kilogram there can be 72, and 79, and 85.
Shrimps of this size are most often caught in the Atlantic Ocean.
Large and extra large
Many mistakenly believe that the larger the shrimp, the tastier and more expensive it is. Unfortunately, this common misconception plays into the hands of unscrupulous sellers who diligently cultivate it. In order not to get into trouble, it is worth studying this issue in more detail.
Surely you are familiar with such a name as king prawns. Their sizes are large, as are the prices for dishes with such an ingredient. But is the excitement justified? In fact, the name "king prawns" has nothing to do with science. This kind simply does not exist. With these beautiful words, sellers and cooks call completely different varieties of shrimp in order to sell them at a higher price. Often even not very tasty breeds grown on farms are called royal. To get large samples, not the most useful components that provoke growth are added to the feed. Real connoisseurs are unlikely to encroach on this dubious product.
Another thing is the oceanic giants. The maximum size of tiger prawns can reach 30 centimeters. Their caliber is 2-3 individuals per kilo. It is easy to recognize this species, because the dark transverse stripes fully justify the name. Unfortunately, in our time, you can also run into a fake, because these shrimp also learned to breed artificially, so it is important to know how to choose a quality product.
What are cocktail shrimp?
It should be understood that when it comes to caliber, we mean a whole shrimp, with a shell, legs and head. But along with unpeeled ones, there are also so-called cocktail shrimp on sale. This term means that the product is completely cleaned, and sometimes even boiled before freezing.
Of course, if you clean a kilogram of 90-caliber shrimp, then the weight of the carcasses will be much less than a kilogram. The difference can reach 40-50%, that is, peeled shrimp per kilogram will no longer be 90, but 170-180.
Freeze
Another way to outsmart the buyer is in the technological features of freezing. Dry freezing practically does not change their structure and perfectly preserves the product. But in domestic supermarkets, another category is more common - glazed shrimp. This "delicious" word means nothing more than ordinary water. Due to the fact that the body of the shrimp is covered with a layer of ice, a much smaller amount will fit in a kilogram. Remember that the size of the shrimp is artificially increased if you see the marking "glazed" on the pack.
How to choose shrimp
You have already guessed about many pitfalls. Our little cheat sheet will help you not get confused in the store when choosing the best shrimp.
- Give preference to a packaged product, not a loose one. Packaging is harder to fake.
- Pay attention to the country of origin. The best shrimp are caught by Norwegian, Danish, Finnish companies. An excellent product is provided by the Japanese (although it is more expensive and less common). Pretty good Russian shrimp. But most of the shrimp from the Far East are grown in captivity.
- Pay special attention to ice. It should not be on the shrimp themselves or in the pack.
- Cocktail shrimp that have been steamed or boiled have a shorter shelf life than raw shrimp. Look at the numbers.
decorative value
Did you know that shrimp can be bred in a regular aquarium? Many breeds get along well with non-aggressive fish and other neighbors. But some prefer solitude.
If you want to get such a pet, be sure to consult a specialist who can give recommendations on care, regimen, and feed.
The size of shrimp for an aquarium is on average small. Most of them reach an average of 5-6 cm. But the color variety is truly huge! You can choose from blue, black, red, yellow, spotted and even completely transparent pet.
Giant shrimp: myths and reality
Have you heard scary stories about giant squids and octopuses? Maybe there are other underwater inhabitants, the size of which is much larger than encyclopedias claim?
In the case of shrimp, we are unlikely to be sensational. In any case, there is no information, even indirect and doubtful, at present. The size of the shrimp does not exceed 30 cm.
Often langoustines are confused with shrimp. But these are completely different animals, albeit similar in appearance. In order not to be considered ignorant and not to be confused, it is enough to remember that the langoustine has claws.
As we could see, the variety of shrimp is very large. We hope that our article told you something new about these unusual creatures.
Shrimp are close relatives of lobsters and crabs. They live in almost all corners of the globe and vary greatly in size, color and appearance.
Many species of these crustaceans are edible. Almost a quarter of all seafood consumed in the world is shrimp.
A bit of history
The first methods of catching and cooking recipes for shrimp are described in ancient Greek and Roman sources. Then these crustaceans were caught in small quantities - manually or with the help of special traps. For a long time, shrimp were a rare and expensive delicacy.
Despite the fact that shrimp meat is relatively high in cholesterol - about 200 mg per 100 g - it is considered an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. 100 g of shrimp contains approximately 360 mg of these substances.
Also, from 100 g of shrimp meat, you can get the daily rate of the amino acid tryptophan, 60 percent of the daily rate of selenium, almost half of the daily rate of easily digestible protein, a quarter of the daily rate of vitamin B12, twenty percent of iron, 15 - phosphorus, 11 - zinc. AND only 110 - 115 kcal!
How to choose shrimp
The range of shrimp in domestic stores is not too extensive. As a rule, it is represented by several types of shrimp of different sizes. The size of shrimp is usually determined by the number of them in one kilogram or pound.
About the size of imported shrimp will tell marking on the packaging: The smallest (about 100 in one pound) are called Miniature, the largest are Extra-Large, Jumbo and Colossal (less than ten shrimp per pound).
Tiger prawns should be searched for by marking "30-40 pieces per kilogram." But the largest shrimp, which can reach 30-40 cm in length, no more than four pieces are placed in a kilogram.
The cost of shrimp is usually proportional to their size: the larger the shrimp, the more expensive they are. The most affordable are fresh-frozen shrimp. They are sold both raw and cooked, whole or cleaned of heads and shells.
Try to choose shrimp in transparent packaging - so you can assess the quality of the product. You should refuse to buy if:
- Almost all shrimp have black heads: such specimens have unpalatable tough meat.
- There is a lot of garbage in the package in the form of whiskers, tails or small parts of shrimp. This product has most likely been improperly stored and transported and may be of poor quality.
- There is snow in the shrimp package. This means that the shrimp has been defrosted and has most likely already gone bad.
- Shrimps of various sizes. Most likely, the manufacturer tried to cheat by mixing shrimp of different varieties and prices.
- Frozen shrimp look dry and yellowish. This product has either been stored incorrectly or is nearing the end of its shelf life.
- Shrimps are covered with a thick layer of ice glaze. Normally, the volume of ice should not exceed four to seven percent of the total weight of the shrimp. The highest quality shrimp are frozen by the shock method.
The most important
Shrimp are a good source of protein, antioxidants, and other beneficial micronutrients. Choose shrimp in transparent packaging, without debris, snow and ice glaze.
Vannamei shrimp (royal)
Lat: Penaeus vannamei; English: Vannamei shrimp. Type of cutting: CHOSO - boiled, with head, with shell; CPDTO - boiled, without a shell, without a vein along the ridge, with a tail; CPD - boiled, without a shell, without a vein along the ridge; RPD - raw, without a shell, without a vein along the ridge; HLSO—headless, with shell. Sizes: from 200-300 pieces per kg to 31-40 pieces per kg
Catch area: commercially grown on farms in Asian countries. Vannamey supplier countries: the world's main manufacturer and supplier - China 
Description: Raw vannamei has a gray color, after boiling, the color becomes bright red. As a rule, it enters the main export markets of China already cooked, as it has a more attractive presentation. In addition to various types of cutting, the shrimp is also glazed, and the percentage can vary from 5% to 40%, and sometimes up to 50% - all at the request of a buyer from a particular country. The larger the glaze, the lower the price, but the price matches the quality. 
Farm vannamey resists many diseases characteristic of shrimp (for example, tiger shrimp). The product retains a good sales appearance for 3-4 days after defrosting. Sometimes the vannamei shrimp is called the white shrimp, as it is completely translucent in the light. In nature, vannamei prefers a silty coastal bottom; as a maximum, it can grow up to 9 cm in length. Taste: Characteristic taste of crustaceans, but it is necessary to clean the vein along the ridge, which may contain sand and other life debris.
The shrimp commercial fishery has a thousand-year history. And until very recently, sellers (fishermen) and buyers had disagreements about the price of shrimp. How to define it? By weight? By the piece?
The problem is that both large and small shrimp can be caught in one catch of shrimp. It is clear that large shrimp are in high demand and should cost more. To make it more convenient for buyers and sellers, shrimp were sorted by size and then sold by weight. Thus were adopted trade standards for the size of shrimp, which are now used by fishermen, sellers and cooks around the world.
What do shrimp sizes mean?
When you buy shrimp by weight, look at the label. In addition to data on the manufacturer and the place of catch, it will necessarily contain numbers, for example - 13/15 or 27/34. What are these numbers?This is the number of shrimp per 1 English pound or 1 kilogram of weight. The packaging indicates which weight units are used.
Those. in 1 pound of shrimp there will be from 13 to 15. And in one kilogram from 27 to 34.
There are 2.2 pounds in one kilogram. The measurement system depends on the country of manufacture.
In Russia, you can find the size for 1 pound and 1 kilogram.
Sometimes shrimp packaging may be labeled U/15 or U/10. This is a designation for large shrimp and means "under 10" - "under" or "about" 10 pieces in one pound.
These shrimp sizes are also called caliber and are considered the international trade standard.
Some Argentine shrimp (red deep sea) are labeled C1, C2, C3, CR and L1, L2, L3 and LR.
- The letter C means that the shrimp is without a head, and L - with a head.
- The letter R means that the size of the shrimp can be anything from 30 to 150. Such shrimp are called not sized.
Shrimp sizes - Number of shrimp per 1 lb/kg of weight
For the convenience of buyers, we provide a table of the size of shrimp per pound and the equivalent per kilogram. Sizes are for raw, fresh-frozen headless shrimp. For boiled-frozen shrimp as well as shrimp with a head, the number of pieces is indicated per kilogram.| Pieces per pound (0.435kg) | Pieces per 1 kilogram | Example |
| 6/8 (U8) | 13-17 | |
| 8/10 (U10) | 17-22 | |
| 10/12 (U12) | 22-26 | |
| 8/12 | 17-26 | Shrimps 8/12 |
| 13/15 | 27-34 | Shrimps 13/15 |
| 16/20 | 35-44 | Shrimps 16/20 |
| 21/25 | 45-56 | Shrimps 21/25 |
| 26/30 | 57-66 | Shrimps 26/30 |
| 31/40 | 68-88 | Shrimps 31/40 |
| 41/50 | 90-110 | Shrimps 41/50 |
| 51/60 | 112-132 | |
| 61/70 | 133-155 | |
Sizes of shrimp - Number of shrimp per 1 kilogram
Here is a table of the most popular sizes per 1 kilogram in Russia:| Number of pieces per 1 kg. | Example |
| 40-60 | Shrimps 40-60 |
| 50-70 | Shrimps 50-70 |
| 70-90 | Shrimps 70-90 |
| 80-100 | Shrimps 80-100 |
| 90-120 | Shrimps 90-120 |
| 90-140 | Shrimps 90-140 |
| 90+ | Shrimp 90+ |
| 100-200 | Shrimps 100-200 |
| 120+ | Shrimps 120+ |
| 140-160 | Shrimp 140-160 |
| 200-300 | Shrimps 200-300 |
Sizes of shrimp - Number of Argentinean shrimp per 1 kilogram
Size table of Argentinean shrimp per kilogram:| Marking | Pieces per 1 kilogram | Example |
| C1 | 30-55 | Shrimps C1 |
| C2 | 56-100 |