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THE SHORT ANSWER

Should I salt or use baking soda on shrimp?

Salting ahead can improve seasoning and water retention. A small amount of baking soda can help shrimp stay plump; use it sparingly because higher alkalinity keeps changing texture.

Moderate confidence

Salt and alkalinity can increase water holding, but the effect is dose-dependent.

The science in more detail

Chloride binds to myofibrillar protein and raises net negative charge; raising pH does the same by moving away from the isoelectric point. Both swell the filament lattice and raise water-holding capacity. But shear force falls continuously as pH rises.

Culinary sources disagree on wet brining before dry heat. Nobody has directly tested brining phosphate-treated shrimp.

Evidence behind the answer

This answer is linked to the research rule above. Confidence describes its evidence, not the review status of this page. We tell you when we don’t know.

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