I love prawns but I've got to the stage that I don't order food with prawns in them. Why? Because they nearly always taste crap, they have this chemical type of taste to them. The chemical taste seems consistent which leads me to think that they are treated in some common way. It's a joy when I get some nice fresh Shark Bay tiger prawns and they are chemical free but it seems to be a rare occurrence.
Anyone know if it is a chemical and what it is?
the chemical used is meta bisulphate and is a preservative used to stop the heads going black as quik for the shop presentation, if u know the supplier like i do i get boxes of prawns that havnt been treated with meta, just have to eat them quicker which doesnt seem to be a problem
You would be shocked to see how prawns are grown and harvested in places like Thailand for instance.
They dig out a lagoon from the mangroves and use it until it becomes too diseased and polluted then move on down the coast a ways and make another.
To feed the prawns first they shanghai a crew and use them as slaves, a ship goes out to sea and drags the bottom collecting all manner of sea creatures and when they have enough they dump the load inside the lagoon to feed the prawns.
Raising tilapia is even worse, chicken pens directly above the fish tanks, fish eat the chicken 5hit then you eat the fish.
Haven't fisheries been restocking the canning and swan for the last few years?
catch your own!
I wish you hadn't told me about thialand,those sweet little vanami's are my favourite prawns 
I think the by catch for locally (Oz) caught prawns is 3kg throw way by catch to 1 kg of prawns, not the best seafood to eat
Or do backyard marron - I started today.
But a 12mth wait for good size..... that's IF they thrive.......
I never buy any sea food that is stamped imported from Thailand, China, Vietnam.................... Same for fruits and vegies. But maybe I am naive to believe the labels?
Select to expand quoteMark _australia said..
Or do backyard marron - I started today.
But a 12mth wait for good size..... that's IF they thrive.......
Marron are difficult to get to work well. Ensure there are a lot of hiding spots for them, chuck in a heap of shadecloth and PVC pipe. Also make it difficult for them to climb out.
Worth the effort if you can tick all the boxes though 
Get to know your local trawler and then buy the ones they call soft and broken .
If in Geraldton or Carnarvon then Mc Boats are the best as they are snap frozen on the boat, within minutes of being caught = FRESH
Select to expand quotefelixdcat said..
I never buy any sea food that is stamped imported from Thailand, China, Vietnam.................... Same for fruits and vegies. But maybe I am naive to believe the labels?
me neither..always wonder who would buy basa..but speaking of the dodgy labels..
I've heard the asian seafood get to NZ and then get in here as "Product of NZ"
Select to expand quotejeff2 said..
Get to know your local trawler and then buy the ones they call soft and broken .
If in Geraldton or Carnarvon then Mc Boats are the best as they are snap frozen on the boat, within minutes of being caught = FRESH
thats how I could convince my missus to go on holiday to Lancelin and Gero back in the days..
mmmmm..fresh seafood
EDIT lano picture
Dont be fooled just cos they say soft and broken, they all get meta unless u know someone on the boat!!!
This meta y'all are so worried about - is that the same sodiummetabisulphate [spelling?] that we use to wash our beer bottles with?
Pretty sure it has a few medical uses too - I read it on a vaccine info label at work last year, 
[ferchrissakes dont tell pmac]
and........I used some to help accellerate the rotting of a tree stump that was growing through a house too - not sure if that is a good point though 
stephen
Select to expand quotedmitri said..felixdcat said..
I never buy any sea food that is stamped imported from Thailand, China, Vietnam.................... Same for fruits and vegies. But maybe I am naive to believe the labels?
me neither..always wonder who would buy basa..but speaking of the dodgy labels..
I've heard the asian seafood get to NZ and then get in here as "Product of NZ"
Will add NZ to my list!
