Shrimp is one of those ingredients we love to cook without giving it much thought. Quick, flavorful, and versatile, it’s just as welcome in a fresh salad as in a more elaborate dish. Yet, one small detail continues to cause confusion for many of us: that thin dark line running along its back. We often talk about it, sometimes hesitate… but do we really know what it is and, more importantly, whether we should be concerned about it?
That dark line that everyone notices
It’s commonly called the shrimp’s “vein,” but this term is actually misleading. It’s not a vein, but rather its digestive tract. Located along the back, it can contain remnants of what the shrimp has consumed in its environment, such as algae or tiny natural particles. Depending on its contents, this line can be more or less dark, ranging from light brown to black.
It’s most often when peeling a large shrimp that it becomes clearly visible, and the question arises: should it be removed or not?
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