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PRIMARY SOURCE
Asia, Latin America, U.S. Gulf of Mexico
SEASON
Year-round, with heaviest wild landings in summer and fall. Farmed
operations harvest one to three times a year, more often the closer
to the equator.
FISHING METHOD
Trawled, farmed in ponds
DEFECTS
° Poorly trimmed throat meat, broken shells and missing swimmerets
are signs of poor handling during processing.
° Although harmless to humans, black spots are a sign of poor
handling (primarily poor icing) during harvesting.
° Slimy or “soapy” shrimp indicate excessive use of
phosphates.
° Yellowing or pitting is a sign of excessive use of sulfites.
° Broken or damaged shrimp, leading to high proportions of “pieces”
(shrimp with less than 5 whole tail segments).
° An ammonia smell is a sign of old shrimp.
SELLING POINTS
• Shrimp consumption continues to rise, boosting likelihood
of strong sales.
• Variety of sizes ensures appropriate product for a wide range
of applications.
• Smaller sizes can be promoted as a means to improving plate
coverage while lowering portion costs.Improved availability of value-added
products (e.g., IQF, peeled, cooked/peeled) can significantly reduce
prep times, labor costs and waste.
• The global expansion of shrimp-farming and the interchangeability
of species assures year-round availability.
• Where available, seasonal (i.e., summer and fall) landings
of large wild shrimp can be used to market fresh product.
• Recent research has debunked shrimp’s high-cholesterol
reputation; due to their low level of saturated fat, shrimp can
be a valid part of any heart-healthy diet.
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SCIENTIFIC NAME: Penaeus spp.
MARKET NAME(S): Often denoted by color (e.g., white, brown,
black tiger) and/or country of origin (Mexican whites, Thai black
tigers)
SIZE RANGE: To 13 inches.
YIELD: Whole to shell-on tail: 60-65%; whole to peeled, raw meat:
50%.
PRODUCT FORMS: FROZEN: Blocks, shell-on tails; IQF: shell-on
tails, peeled meats (deveined and undeveined), peeled and cooked
meats, various value-added products.
STORAGE & HANDLING: Properly glazed, block-frozen shrimp
will keep for 9-12 months at 0°F, up to twice as long as IQF
product. Slacked out shrimp will keep 4 to 5 days.
COOKING SUGGESTIONS
Warmwater shrimp are a versatile, delicious addition to virtually
any meal. They range in sizes, but most are large enough to skewer
and then grill or broil, perhaps coated with marinade. Also try
adding shrimp to stir-fry or pasta. Some excellent appetizers can
be made with shrimp — and they hold flavors such as garlic
or Asian spices well. And, of course, shrimp are hard to beat boiled
and served cold in a shrimp cocktail
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Warmwater Shrimp
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ThinkOne of the world’s
most important food commodities, warmwater shrimp are produced in
upwards of 100 countries around the globe (more than 25 of which ship
to the U.S. market in substantial quantities). Harvested in the wild
and grown in aquaculture operations, they’re equally versatile
when it comes to preparation and presentation—a big reason shrimp
is consistently Americans’ favorite fresh/frozen seafood.
According to the United Nations, there are more than 340 species of
shrimp of commercial value. Of those, Penaeid species are the dominant
type of warmwater shrimp, constituting approximately 80% of the world’s
total shrimp production.
Warmwater shrimp account for 85-90 % of the 125,000-130,000 tons of
shrimp U.S. fishermen catch in an average year. The leading species
in the U.S. catch are brown shrimp (Penaeus aztecus), white (P. setiferus)
and pink (P. duorarum), with brown shrimp typically accounting for
60% of the total catch.
Although warmwater shrimp are often named by color (e.g., brown, white,
pink), all can vary considerably in shading. To tell the difference
with shell-on product, feel for a groove or ridge running the length
of the shrimp’s carapace. If it’s there, the shrimp is a
brown or pink; if not, it’s a white. (All three, of course, cook
up pink.)
Although U.S. fishermen catch warmwater shrimp in both the Atlantic
and Pacific oceans, more than 80% of the catch comes from the Gulf
of Mexico. Starting in May, small-boat fishermen catch small shrimp
(mostly browns) in the bays and estuaries; by mid-summer, the shrimp
have grown substantially and migrated out to sea where they’re
targeted by big freezer boats. (There is also a second inshore season
for white shrimp in Louisiana in August.)
While domestic warmwater shrimp are almost exclusively caught in the
wild, most imported product is farmed. The leading suppliers of warmwater
shrimp to the U.S. market are Thailand, Ecuador, Mexico, India and
Indonesia, which together account for approximately 70% of U.S. shrimp
imports and more than 50% of the total U.S. shrimp supply.
The most commonly farmed warmwater shrimp species are P. monodon (black
tigers), which are farmed throughout Southeast Asia, and P. vannamei,
which are farmed throughout Latin America.
Warmwater shrimp are exceptionally fast-growing animals; black tigers,
for example, can take just four months to produce a 30- to 35-gram
animal, the live-weight equivalent to a 21/25 shell-on tail.
Under normal conditions and disregarding market factors, 41/50 tails
provide shrimp farmers the best return on investment. Very small and
very large shrimp, on the other hand, tend to be wild-caught.
Shrimp is consistently the second-most popular seafood in the United
States (and the No. 1 fresh/frozen seafood). Having posted steady
gains for the last several years, U.S. per capita consumption of shrimp
Americans is now three pounds a year.
Although most species of warmwater shrimp are interchangeable, some
exhibit stronger flavors. Generally speaking, wild shrimp have a stronger
flavor than farmed product, with browns being stronger than whites
or pinks.
Shrimp are highly sensitive animals, which are very susceptible to
stress. For that reason, shrimp farmers are constantly battling disease
outbreaks. In recent years, outbreaks of white spot disease in both
the Eastern and Western hemispheres have resulted in a decline in
world farmed shrimp production. |
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The
Pacific Advantage
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The
largest buyer of Mexican white shrimp means Pacific Group customers
get first choice on new season production.Volume buying power
assures a full range of shrimp sizes at competitive prices.
Strong relationships with producers and importers means we can
offer the widest selection of shrimp products to meet any customer’s
needs. Strict quality control and receiving procedures assure
customers of accurate counts and net weights. |
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