Freezingtechnologyhascomealongway,andfreshshrimpisnotalwayssuperiortofrozen.Shrimpcanbefrozenwithinminutesofleavingthewater,trappinginfreshnessandquality.

What you’re really getting in that package. In addition to the COO, distributor, and product type, the label will tell you the product form—head-on, head off, or peeled. Head-on will be whole shrimp with the shell; head-off is shrimp tails in the shell. Peeled will have neither the head nor the shell, and deveined will be peeled shrimp with the dark vein taken out.

Shrimp is sold by count, or the number of shrimp needed to make one pound. For example, 16/20 count on the label means that 16 to 20 shrimp make a pound.

Shrimp treated with sulfites to prevent a naturally occurring (and harmless) discoloration called blackspot will be labeled as such. Sulfites are a known allergen to some people, mainly those allergic to peanuts. Tripolyphosphate is used in many frozen foods to prevent dehydration or freezer burn, and should also be clearly labeled.

Shrimp is the top seafood consumed in the United States. More than 109 million pounds were landed along Louisiana's coast in 2014 alone; however, over 80 percent of the shrimp consumed in the United States is imported.

Reading the Label Shrimp Basics:

IMPORTED DOMESTIC