How should crustaceans be cooked to ensure safety?

Cooking crustaceans to ensure safety involves reaching the appropriate internal temperature and visual indicators that signal doneness. The correct method is to cook them until their shells turn red and the meat inside becomes opaque. This transformation in color and texture indicates that the crustaceans have been cooked thoroughly, which eliminates harmful bacteria that could pose health risks.

When the shells change color to a bright red, it shows that the crustaceans are no longer raw, and the opaque meat confirms that they have reached a safe internal temperature. This is crucial for ensuring food safety and preventing foodborne illnesses, common when seafood is undercooked.

Other methods, such as grilling until charred or boiling for a specific duration, may not guarantee that the crustaceans have reached the necessary temperature throughout. Similarly, steaming for a short period might also lead to undercooked seafood if not monitored properly. Thus, focusing on the visual cues—shell color and meat opacity—provides a reliable guideline for safe cooking practices.