Why do crayfish turn red when cooked?
Reading time - 2 minutes.
Crayfish shells contain astaxanthin, a rich orange-red pigment. This substance is associated with proteins, and if the bonds are not destroyed, the pigment does not manifest itself in any way. Therefore, in living crayfish, the color of the shell varies from olive to dark green, depending on the natural conditions in which one or another color will protect the cancer from threats. When astaxanthin interacts with water under the influence of high temperature, the structure of the protein is damaged, the "connection" between them and the pigment is broken, and it is released, as a result of which the carapace of the cancer turns red.
Last update Author / Editor - Lydia Ivanova
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