Metallic-Tasting Prawns

[pastafreak]

Why do they frequently taste this way? I'm referring to the North Atlantic ones. How close to/far from 'use by' seems to make little difference. They may not be off,but it takes away from the pleasure of eating them.

[wolf63]

Tinned prawns?

[Jennykenny]

Expensive, but I have been buying prawns from Waitrose for the past six months. I bulk them out with lots of salad, tinned corn etc, and I have to say they taste very good.
Maybe try them once?

[Tilly2]

I wonder if it's something to do with the way they are processed, pasta?

[gingejbee]

Prawns are often treated with sodium phosphate to preserve colour and texture...this sometimes results in a metallic taste as the additive reacts with the protein. (Well, you did ask!)

[rsvp]

I always thoroughly rinse off prawns then pat them dry before using them- have never tasted anything metallic - maybe you've got a really good sense of taste! mine's rubbish.

[Sqad]

\\They may not be off,but it takes away from the pleasure of eating them.\\

Quite, but if the metallic taste indicates that they are not fresh, or even if they are fresh but have a metallic taste........what is the point in eating them?

[237SJ]

Even though they are marketed as North Atlantic prawns, they could be farmed. Same as salmon and raw jumbo prawns (from muddy rivers in Vietnam etc). You don`t know what`s in them and what they are fed on.

[gingejbee]

237...I've already explained why prawns sometimes taste metallic...not my opinion, actual facts....

[pastafreak]

@tilly...noooo!
@jennykenny...I had been buying nice ones from M&S...until I discovered that they consider under weight packages to be 'OK'.
@gingebee...I suspected that...but why are some OK,while others are vile. Sainsburys OK,Tescos verging on inedible.
@sqad...true...I binned the in date pack I opened today. Taste was so nasty,I'd never know whether they were bad or suffering from a huge dose of preservative.

[237SJ]

gingebee - so why does this "sometimes" result in a metallic taste?

[jourdain2]

If they taste metallic my advice is not to eat them. I once ignored a metallic taste in fresh tuna (in date, bought from supermarket) and food poisoning resulted for daughter and self.

[Tilly2]

That metallic taste is a dire warning. Do not eat!