Like all seafood, shrimp naturally contains a bacterium that you need to cook to destroy. And even after shrimp is cooked, bacteria are still a problem. Laciato too much
Like all seafood, shrimp naturally contains a bacterium that you have to cook to destroy. And even after the shrimp is cooked, the bacteria are still a problem. Left at room temperature for too long, the bacteria that cooking did not destroy begins to multiply again. When this happens, cooked shrimp only stays good for a short period of time before the growth of the bacteria reaches levels that can make you sick if you eat them.
Serve the shrimp
Shrimp only stays good for two hours after being cooked and served. On the serving tray in temperatures of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, cooked shrimp begin to fall victim to dangerous bacterial growth when two hours have passed. After this time, cooked shrimp cannot be refrigerated, frozen, or eaten; you have to throw it away. At temperatures of 90 degrees Fahrenheit and above, cooked shrimp only last an hour.
How long can cooked shrimp stay refrigerated?
Refrigeration increases the shelf life of cooked shrimp by several days. For optimal short-term storage, refrigerate shrimp within two hours of cooking. And within one hour of cooking if temperatures reach more than 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Cooked, well-cooked, cooled, and preserved shrimp will keep for three to four days. Place the cooked shrimp in a plastic bag or wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil before putting them in the refrigerator. Provided the lid is tightly closed, the plastic containers keep shrimp cooked in the refrigerator fresh without the aromas of the shrimp penetrating and flavoring other foods in the refrigerator that absorb odors.
Long-term storage
Freezing is a great long-term storage alternative to refrigeration if you think you won’t be able to eat cooked shrimp within three to four days. Be sure to wrap the shrimp in freezer-safe plastic wrap before placing them in at least one self-sealing plastic bag in the freezer to prevent burning. This will help maintain the quality of the frozen shrimp for a longer period of time.
Freezing keeps cooked shrimp safe to eat indefinitely, but safe doesn’t always mean palatable. Although freezing renders the bacteria inactive, making safety a no-brainer, quality begins to decline after six months. When this happens, the taste and texture of the cooked shrimp begin to change. Often meaning the shrimp will be less flavorful and difficult to cut and chew.
Thawing Cooked Shrimp
Safe defrosting ensures that you don’t get sick from inactive bacteria that become active again when the core temperature of cooked shrimp rises above 40 degrees Fahrenheit. To thaw frozen shrimp, transfer cooked shrimp from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before. This gives cooked shrimp time to safely defrost before cooking and eating them. In a pinch, defrost in the microwave or in hot water, reheating immediately afterward. An internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit, measured with a meat thermometer, makes cooked shrimp safe enough to eat without risking worrying about the active bacteria in undercooked shrimp.
