Bell Harbor Presents...
SHRIMP 101 Wild vs. Farm Raised Wild Shrimp
Over 2000 species of wild shrimp exist but only a few are marketed. Whites, Browns and Pinks are most recognizable. Relative to farm raised shrimp, wild caught shrimp; tend to run larger, have a firmer bite and more pronounced flavor and have harder more durable shell.
Wild Shrimp Species White • • • • •
Available in USA waters: SE Atlantic, Eastern Gulf of Mexico and Pacific waters off California and Mexico. Sweet taste. USA gulf whites have distinct iodine taste; Mexicans don’t. Wild Mexican whites’ texture similar to cold water lobster. Sizes range from U-10 to 31-35 count.
• • • •
Harvested domestically off the coasts of Mexico and the U.S.A. Appear in different colors – off white to reddish brown with tinges of blue or purple on legs and tail. Meat is firm with a mild taste. Domestic gulf browns have pronounced iodine flavor; Mexican browns from Pacific Ocean do not.
Brown
Pink • • • • •
Very sweet flavor profile. Wild caught; found in greatest abundance on Mexico’s Campeche banks. Deteriorate quickly due to fragile digestive organs; bisulfates are used to slow this process. Cold water Pinks: from Bering Sea, North Sea, Iceland, Russia, Canada and Greenland. Much smaller, with sizing at 250 to 350 count.
BENEFITS OF WILD SHRIMP • • •
Flavor - More pronounced than farm raised Variety - Approx 20 species sold commercially each with its own unique flavor & texture profile Shrink - Lower moisture content by nature so relatively lower shrink
Wild Shrimp Points of Difference From Farm Raised • • • •
Supply - Wild catches vary from year to year Price - Can be higher; greater, more frequent price fluctuations Sulfites - Can be treated with sulfites to maintain color/appearance Quality & Consistency - Potential quality issues due to product handling in supply chain
