Net weight of frozen items

[vernplum]

Let's say you had a bag of IQF (Individually Quick Frozen) shelled shrimp/prawns that had a gross weight of 1kg.

What would you think would be a reasonable net weight once you had defrosted them and poured off all the water?

I can't help but think that the quantity of ice covering these IQF prawns has been steadily increasing - this latest bag I had, although I didn't weigh them looked to me to be at least half a kilo of ice. I did weigh some fish fillets billed as 300g, once defrosted were 160g. I wrote to the online retailer and got a refund.

 

[Barriehie]

Never really thought about the shrimp but I can certainly see that with fish. Depends on the fish as well. Salmon and catfish aren't that bad but the swai is ridiculous. Don't buy those anymore for a variety of reasons but the water wasn't one.

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

Let's say you had a bag of IQF (Individually Quick Frozen) shelled shrimp/prawns that had a gross weight of 1kg.

What would you think would be a reasonable net weight once you had defrosted them and poured off all the water?

I can't help but think that the quantity of ice covering these IQF prawns has been steadily increasing - this latest bag I had, although I didn't weigh them looked to me to be at least half a kilo of ice. I did weigh some fish fillets billed as 300g, once defrosted were 160g. I wrote to the online retailer and got a refund.

Think it depends on the countries rules.
In the EU only the net weight without the glaze is allowed to be displayed.

But I have been caught out by it because in the UK prawns have relatively little glaze but in Spain use a lot. So I picked up a pack without reading the weight and was shocked by how small an amount was left after defrosting.

On a separate note a big difference between British and Spanish prawns is that the prawns we buy have been through depuration so the intestine is clear and you don’t have to ‘devein’ them. Where as in Spain the poop tract is very obvious.

As a result I don’t really buy prawns there because I don’t like the thought of eating fish poo and find deveining enough prawns too boring.
Thing is I can’t help but notice their prawns are a lot ‘prawnier’ tasting as a result

 

[karadekoolaid]

I'd say that's pretty much aleatory. From what I understand, shrimp trawlers chuck the catch straight into tons of ice, so when they're separated out into individual 500/1000gm bags, it's a question of luck as to how much shrimp meat you actually get.

 

[karadekoolaid]

As a result I don’t really buy prawns there because I don’t like the thought of eating fish poo and find deveining enough prawns too boring.
Thing is I can’t help but notice their prawns are a lot ‘prawnier’ tasting as a result

My thoughts are that the depuration process is probably damaging to the flavour.
Caribbean prawns ( and some of them are 10-12 per kilo) are absolutely delicious.
Since I survived my childhood eating sand-filled sandwiches and prawns on Sheerness beach, I reckon that a little bit of c*** probably does no harm.

 

[fruitjuice]

Let's say you had a bag of IQF (Individually Quick Frozen) shelled shrimp/prawns that had a gross weight of 1kg.

What would you think would be a reasonable net weight once you had defrosted them and poured off all the water?

I can't help but think that the quantity of ice covering these IQF prawns has been steadily increasing - this latest bag I had, although I didn't weigh them looked to me to be at least half a kilo of ice. I did weigh some fish fillets billed as 300g, once defrosted were 160g. I wrote to the online retailer and got a refund.

It's normal that if you have 1 kg of IQF shrimp, after thawing and draining the water, you'll end up with about 700-800 grams of clean weight.