Re: Uniformity Count in Shrimp

From: Francisco Herrera Teran (alep@data.net.mx)
Date: Sun Feb 03 2002 - 22:10:20 PST

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    Re: Uniformity Count in Shrimp

    Sorry for the delay in sending my comments to your inquiry , but here they are:

    In order to determine "Shrimp Uniformity" you must:

    1.- Thaw and drain all water from shrimp.

    2.- Weigh and count all shrimp in the pack (in order to verify Net Weight and "Probable Count". This would give you a preliminary idea of the shrimp size. For example, if you're counting 16/20's in a 5Lb-Block Frozen Pack, there should be between 80 or 100 shrimp in the inner. An 80-count means the shrimp are pretty large 16/20's, while a 100-count would suggest the shrimp are smaller (yet, within its commercial range).  However, if you count more than 100 shrimp --even though the weight and size seem to be right-- then you must check Uniformity, because you might have ended up with a "sandwich" pack:  "Big Shrimps on the outside and Smaller shrimps in the inside of the Block".

    3.- In that case, spread all shrimp on a table and pick what visually seem to be the 10 largest shrimp of the pack (Group 1). Then, select what visually seem to be the 10 smallest of the pack (Group 2).

    4.- Weigh Group 1 and Group 2.

    5.- Divide Group 1's weight between Group 2's weight.

    6.- The division's resulting number is the Uniformity ratio.

    In "a perfect world", if the result is "1", then all shrimp is uniform. However, in a real world, a 1.2 or 1.4 is very acceptable. However, if the result is higher than 1.7 or 2.0, something is wrong with the uniformity.

    Hope this helps.

    Francisco Herrera-Teran
    alep@data.net.mx



    At 10:48 am -0800 30/1/02, E. Jerry Oliveras, Laboratory Director & President wrote:
    Can anyone tell me what the term Uniformity Ratio [large/small] means and
    how it is determined for a frozen shrimp in blocks

    I understand count per pound and glazing, brokens, etc. but don't get
    uniformity ratio - How does one determine it?

    What is Large and what is Small ??



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