Blue Crab Turns Red Crab – Science 22

Fish, shrimp and crawfish are our favorite items when we buy seafood in the market. They mainly harvest from our state waters.

Image 1- Raw and fresh blue crab

At least two kinds of crabs are sold in our areas, blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) and Dungeness (Metacarcinus sp). The Dungeness crab has been posted previously:

- Dungeness Crabs from Gulf of Mexico – Science 19

I believe you know that all crab and lobster will turn red when cooked by boiling or steaming it.

The question then: Why?

Image 2- Dungeness crabs sold in the market

Image 3- Crab turns red when we cook it.

As you might know, the process of crab, prawn, lobster or crustaceans turns red when cooked:

- first, heat due to grilling or boiling will destroy protein called crustacyanin.
- second, releasing of astaxanthin
- finally, shell turns red (bright red).

Many people love to consume crustaceans, but few people don’t like them because of many reasons.

Some of my friends have allergic if they eat crustaceans.

How about you? Do you like to eat lobster, crab or shrimp?

# Previous postings:

- Important of Microorganisms in Food Industry – Healthy Life 1
- I Got a Covid 19 Vaccine Shot Recently – Part 2
- Wild Flowers in the Backyards – Nature 1
- Wreaths for Mardi Gras in Louisiana