Is that black line along the back of shrimp really poo?

Answer 1

To be accurate (and this is the Straight Dope, after all), the black stuff is the contents of the intestine and not the intestine itself. If you've ever spent any time preparing shrimp, you would know that after tearing off their heads, ripping off their shells, and then eviscerating their little corpses, every so often you come across one without the dreaded black tract. That's because the actual colon is a transparent tube of cells and that particular shrimp's colon was empty. More demonstrable evidence can be found in those shrimp whose intestinal contents are incomplete; sometimes that little black line looks more like a sequence of dots and dashes instead of one long continuous line. Yet, when you remove one, it all comes out, held together by a nearly-invisible strand.

There are several reasons for removing the intestine, the most obvious being the aesthetic appearance of the poop chute (I mean, how can you NOT look at it?!). In addition, the shrimp's colon and its contents can impart a disagreeable taste and gritty texture to the meat or dish.

What is that grit? Dirt, mostly. If you've ever had occasion to chew on something with even one grain of sand, you know that the grain feels like a pebble in your mouth. Generally speaking, however, you'll find decayed vegetation and decomposing bits of dead animal. Sorry, but most shrimp are scavengers, acting as Nature's garbage disposals. Vegetarianism is sounding better by the minute, I'm sure.

Calling that black tract a vein isn't exactly true, but it's not exactly wrong, either. The shrimp's dorsal vein runs alongside the intestine, so unless you're a crustaceal surgeon and can remove the vein without removing the intestine, you shouldn't waste your breath complaining about it.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

It's not poo persay, it's the intenstinal track of the shrimp

Answer 4

It is grit and it will not hurt you.If it would I'd be dead(about 40 years ago)I do remove it before frying so my shrimp fan out....Good eating.

Answer 5

Intestinal track....w/poo inside.

Answer 6

Its the digestive track. Not only is it "poo" but its also dirt and grit

Answer 7

Yup. Tasty, huh? That's why I don't eat shrimp.

Answer 8

yeah dat iz really the **** of shrimp, I don't think you want to eat that!

Answer 9

Yep, sure is. It's just a lil bit though.

Answer 10

Yes it is