Don't blame the shrimp for your shrimp allergy - freshness or antibiotics are the main culprits

Fresh, sweet shrimp make the mouth water, yet some people cannot enjoy the good flavor of shrimp, because a tiny shrimp can leave their mouths numb and covered in red rashes. However, Li Yijuan, a lecturer in the Department of Animal Science and Technology at National Ilan University, says that many people are actually not allergic to the shrimp itself, but to unknown additives introduced during the shrimp farming or selling process. "Stop misunderstanding shrimp!"

Staleness and unknown additives are both causes of allergies

Just eating one tiny shrimp and then itching here and there - many people allergic to shrimp have had this painful experience. Li Yijuan, a lecturer in the Department of Animal Science and Technology at National Ilan University, points out that some people are indeed allergic to the proteins in shrimp, but some members of the public are actually allergic to unknown additives introduced during the shrimp farming or selling process. "Stop misunderstanding shrimp!"

Tropomyosin in shrimp muscle is known to be the main allergen causing adverse reactions in people to crustacean seafood. "But if the shrimp is fresh enough, people may not necessarily have an allergic reaction," says Li Yijuan. Tropomyosin is a relatively microscopic protein; after a shrimp dies, enzymes in its body break this protein out. If a fresh, healthy live shrimp is cooked directly, the shrimp meat is randomly broken down by human digestive enzymes after entering the stomach, so naturally an allergic reaction will not necessarily occur.

Many times shrimp have taken the blame unjustly; it is the improper use of veterinary drugs by a small number of operators that is the real culprit causing people's discomfort or allergies. Because the farming environment has deteriorated, the survival rate of ordinary white shrimp is only about 20 to 30 percent. In the early days, multiple antibiotics or antibacterial agents were often applied to raise the shrimp survival rate, and during the processes of harvesting, transport and sale, in pursuit of a good appearance and a good price, operators brought out their own secret formulas. So when some people are allergic to seafood, besides screening for shrimp protein allergens, they may have to look back and see whether the shrimp they bought had unknown additives added.