Sodium carbonates and their effects on shrimp weight and texture
What it found
Soaking shrimp in solutions of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate increased their weight after cooking and made them softer.
This was tested on shrimp, not people.
What they found
Weight gain and cooking yield
Shrimp gained more weight and kept more of that weight after cooking when soaked in higher pH solutions. Cooking loss also dropped as pH rose.
Salt and pH in muscle
Higher soaking pH led to more salt and a higher pH inside the shrimp muscle itself.
Protein changes
Higher pH soaking solutions partially dissolved proteins and colour-linked proteins in the shrimp muscle.
Colour loss at high pH
Soaking solutions above pH 8.5 caused noticeable pigment leaching. Cooked shrimp treated this way looked less red.
Texture became softer
The force needed to cut through raw and cooked shrimp dropped steadily as the soaking pH went up.
Recommended treatment mix
A solution with 2.5% salt and 2.0% sodium bicarbonate at pH 8.5 worked well. It boosted yield and lowered cooking loss without hurting sensory qualities.
What the authors conclude
- They recommend a soaking solution of 2.5% salt and 2.0% sodium bicarbonate at pH 8.5 for treating white shrimp.
- They suggest this mix is a promising alternative to phosphates for increasing yield and reducing cooking loss.
- They note this recommended treatment does not negatively affect the sensory properties of the shrimp.
How it was done
The authors wanted to find an alternative to phosphates for improving the yield and texture of shrimp during processing.
They soaked Pacific white shrimp in a 2.5% salt solution containing sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate at different pH levels. The pH levels tested were 5.5, 7, 8.5, 10 and 11.5.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This work was done on shrimp being processed for food, not on people eating it.
- It cannot show any health effects of sodium carbonates on humans.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Prince of Songkla University, Thailand
The paper
- Title
- Effects of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate on yield and characteristics of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)
- Type
- Study
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Chantarasuwan C, Benjakul S, Visessanguan W (2011). Effects of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate on yield and characteristics of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). Food science and technology international = Ciencia y tecnologia de los alimentos internacional. doi:10.1177/1082013211398802PubMed 21917644DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error