Is the head of a crayfish "shrimp roe" or "shrimp excrement"? Stop eating it carelessly

Summer is here and it’s time to eat crayfish and drink beer!

As the saying goes, "Summer is incomplete without crayfish."

Spicy crayfish, garlic crayfish, thirteen spices crayfish

Steamed crayfish, salt and pepper crayfish, or drunken crayfish?

But there are too many rumors about crayfish...

Can you eat crayfish heads?

Lobsters grow in sewage, which is extremely dirty!

How to eat crayfish?

Let me tell you!

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Are crayfish particularly dirty and contain excessive amounts of heavy metals?

Image source: pexels

This is a rumor and is not true.

In terms of the growth environment, crayfish are not suitable for living in sewage . Nowadays, crayfish are all artificially cultivated in a standardized manner, and the scale of cultivation is continuously expanded through the intensive cultivation of shrimp fry. The water quality must be kept clean during the breeding process.

Experiments have also shown that crayfish not only have no preference for high-concentration ammonia nitrogen sewage, but will actively avoid it when the concentration reaches a certain value. If they fail to avoid it in time, they will behave abnormally or even die. Therefore, this is enough to show that crayfish also like clean water sources, and sewage is not conducive to the survival and reproduction of crayfish.

The second issue is the heavy metal content in crayfish.

Some researchers tested the heavy metal content in different parts of crayfish. The results showed that there were significant differences in the heavy metal content in different parts of crayfish. The heavy metal content in the abdominal muscle was significantly lower than that in the head. The general trend was head > shell > claws > abdominal muscle.

Therefore, if you are particularly worried about the problem of heavy metals, if you like to eat crayfish, you should not bite the crayfish head, and it is best not to eat the shrimp roe!

Image source: Pixabay

Can we eat crayfish heads?

The body structure of crayfish can be divided into three parts: cephalothorax, abdomen and appendages.

0 1 head chest

Fusion of head and thorax : The head and thorax of crayfish are fused together to form a hard carapace called the cephalothorax.

Antennae : There are two pairs of antennae in front of the head, one pair of long antennae and one pair of short antennae, which are used to sense the environment.

Eyes : Located on the top of the head, they have a compound eye structure that allows for a wide view of the surroundings.

Mouthparts : Includes structures such as the upper jaw, lower jaw, and oral limbs, used to grasp and tear food.

Chelipeds : The first two pairs of appendages have evolved into powerful claws used for defense and catching food.

0 2 Abdomen

Plastron : The abdomen is composed of six plastron segments, each with a pair of swimming legs.

Tail fan : The distal plastron and the caudal pedipalps on both sides form a tail fan, which is used for propulsion and direction control when swimming.

0 3 Appendages

Walking legs : Crayfish have five pairs of walking legs, the first three pairs have claws, and the last three pairs are used for walking.

Swimming legs : There is a pair of swimming legs under each abdominal carapace. The first pair of swimming legs of male crayfish is particularly large and is used for mating.

0 4 The internal structure of crayfish

Digestive system : includes mouth, esophagus, stomach, intestines and anus. There are gastric stones (which grind food) in the stomach.

Respiratory system : Gills are located on both sides of the head and thorax and are used for breathing in water.

Circulatory system : Open circulatory system, the heart is located on the dorsal side of the head and thorax, and blood flows through the sinuses.

Nervous system : Consists of the brain, ventral nerve cord and ganglia, which control the crayfish's perception and movement.

Reproductive system : The reproductive systems of female and male crayfish are different. Females have ovaries and oviducts, while males have testes and vas deferens.

This structure enables crayfish to survive in a variety of environments and has strong adaptability and predation capabilities.

The part of the shrimp head that really can't be eaten

Please keep in mind

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Listen to advice!

Family members, try not to eat shrimp heads if you can.

What is the yellow stuff in crayfish?

The digestive organs and internal organs of crayfish are mainly concentrated in the head, especially the liver and pancreas, which are responsible for processing various toxins and excrement, so they are prone to accumulate heavy metals and bacteria. This is why many experts recommend not eating the head of crayfish.

According to research, the yellow substance on the head of crayfish is not shrimp roe, but its hepatopancreas. These organs contain a large amount of toxins and heavy metals, which may cause harm to human health if consumed for a long time. Especially the gills of the shrimp head are prone to accumulate pollutants and parasites, which is also not recommended for consumption.

Although crayfish are rich in protein and a variety of minerals, their heads are not suitable for consumption. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the "toxicity" of food is mainly concentrated in the organs that process waste, so when eating crayfish, it is best to only eat the tail and avoid the harmful substances in the head.

How should crayfish be eaten?

0 1When is the best time to eat?

The first batch of crayfish are available in March every year, but they are smaller in size;

May to September is the peak season for crayfish, which are larger in size. The crayfish from June to August are plump and tender, so this is the best time to eat them.

Image source: soogif

0 2Where to eat?

Where there are greedy cats, there are crayfish.

Currently, crayfish are farmed in 23 provinces across the country, among which Hubei, Anhui, Hunan, Jiangsu and Jiangxi, the five traditional provinces for crayfish farming, still occupy an absolute dominant position.

The well-known Hubei Qianjiang braised crayfish, Hunan Changsha flavored shrimp, Jiangsu Xuyi thirteen spices crayfish, etc. all have their own flavors. Friends who want to satisfy their appetite can take advantage of the holidays to check them out.

Image source: soogif

0 3How to pick out the delicious ones?

If you buy it yourself, choose:

The shrimp meat should be translucent and shiny, and the shrimp shell should be elastic and not sticky when pressed.

Smells fresh, no fishy, ​​sour or ammonia smells.

When eating in a restaurant, you can distinguish:

Relatively fresh: The shrimp body is more curved, and the shrimp meat is firm, elastic and chewy.

Not too fresh: the body is straight, the meat is loose, and the shell feels slimy.

0 4How to make it delicious?

When making it, the crayfish should be soaked in clean water for half an hour, and must be fully heated and cooked, and kept at above 70 degrees for 15 minutes. This will kill any bacteria and parasites that may be present.

Try to choose steamed, chilled (cooked) and other methods that do not require much oil, so that you can enjoy the delicious flavor while reducing calorie intake.

The leftover crayfish can be stored in the refrigerator, but they must be thoroughly reheated before eating the next day!

0 5How to eat the healthiest way?

People with allergies or gout should not eat crayfish.

Eat in moderation: Although delicious, many cooking methods are heavy in oil and salt, and eating too much is not good for health. Especially for children, pregnant women and other special groups, it is especially important to control the amount. It is best not to eat more than one pound at a time.

Source: Chongqing Tianji Network Co., Ltd.

Audit expert: Li Zhigao

Source: Comprehensively compiled from Tencent Medical Dictionary, CQTV New Vision, Public Health and Preventive Medicine, and the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University

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