– Why do lobster and shrimp get red color after cooking?
In: 61
When shellfish like lobsters, shrimp, and crabs are cooked, their outer shell or exoskeleton turns red due to a chemical process called denaturation. This process occurs due to the heat breaking down the pigments in the shell, causing them to release and blend with the natural color of the cooked shellfish. Specifically, a pigment called astaxanthin, which is red in color, is released and gives the shellfish its characteristic red color.
-> 5 Year old variant: So, you know how when you cook an egg, it goes from being liquid to being solid? Well, when you cook a lobster or shrimp, something similar happens – they go from being soft and squishy to being firm and cooked.
But the reason they turn red is because of something called astaxanthin. This is a pigment that is naturally found in the shells of these animals, and when you cook them, the heat makes the pigment come out of the shells and spread throughout the meat.
And when that happens, the meat turns red or pink – just like when you color with a red or pink crayon, the paper turns that color. So that’s why cooked lobsters, shrimp, and other shellfish turn red!
Latest Answers