Can you eat shrimp raw?

Cooked is the safe way to eat shrimp, since FDA says to cook seafood to 145°F. FoodSafety.gov says shrimp is done when the flesh is pearly or white and opaque, and FDA tells pregnant women, children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems to avoid raw or undercooked shellfish.

Agencies are strictest for people at higher risk of foodborne illness: pregnant women, young children, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems.

What FDA, USDA FSIS and FoodSafety.gov say

What to avoid

Level E FDA: Raw or undercooked fish or shellfish, or food containing raw or undercooked seafood (for example, sashimi) found in some sushi or ceviche. (FDA list of foods for at-risk groups to avoid: pregnant women, children, older adults, people with weakened immune systems) FDA, Selecting and Serving Fresh and Frozen Seafood Safely, accessed 2026-10-12

Safer choices and when it is OK

Level E FDA: They spoil rapidly after death, so only live crabs and lobsters should be selected and prepared. FDA, Selecting and Serving Fresh and Frozen Seafood Safely, accessed 2026-10-12

How to cook or handle it

Level E FDA: Most seafood should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F. FDA, Selecting and Serving Fresh and Frozen Seafood Safely, accessed 2026-10-12
Level E USDA FSIS: Fish & Shellfish 145 degrees F (62.8 degrees C) (Safe Minimum Internal Temperature chart row (cells joined by a space)) USDA FSIS, Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart, accessed 2026-10-12
Level E FoodSafety.gov: Shrimp, lobster, crab, and scallops Cook until flesh is pearly or white, and opaque (Safe Minimum Internal Temperature chart row (cells joined by a space)) FoodSafety.gov, Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures, accessed 2026-10-12

Word-for-word quotes from official US sources. Level E means the position of an expert body. How we grade evidence.

What studies found

Level C Across 46 studies of pregnancy, breastfeeding and the first two years, shellfish eating tracked with higher contaminant biomarkers, mercury above all, and several studies linked it to lower birth weight. Nutr Res Rev, 2025
Level C About one shrimp sample in five carried Vibrio bacteria, and two thirds of the isolates resisted penicillins. Food Res Int, 2026

Levels: A is a meta-analysis of trials, B a randomized trial, C an observational study, D lab or animal work, E an expert position. How we grade evidence.

In practice

Raw shrimp can carry germs that cooking kills. A meta-analysis of 108 studies of seafood worldwide found Vibrio bacteria in about one shrimp sample in five, and two thirds of the Vibrio isolates from all the seafood tested resisted penicillins (Level C). A contaminated sample is not the same as an illness, and ordinary cooking kills Vibrio.

FDA's line for seafood is an internal temperature of 145°F. Shrimp is done when the flesh turns pearly or white and opaque, according to FoodSafety.gov.

The advice is firmest for people at higher risk: pregnant women, children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems. FDA tells these groups to avoid raw or undercooked shellfish altogether.

Evidence behind this note

Level C About one shrimp sample in five carried Vibrio bacteria, and two thirds of the isolates resisted penicillins. Food Res Int, 2026

Written from the agency positions and data on this page, reviewed by the Bioma editorial system. How we verify.

Keep exploring

Sources

FDA, Selecting and Serving Fresh and Frozen Seafood Safely, https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/selecting-and-serving-fresh-and-frozen-seafood-safely (accessed 2026-10-12)
USDA FSIS, Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart, https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/safe-temperature-chart (accessed 2026-10-12)
FoodSafety.gov, Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures, https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/safe-minimum-internal-temperatures (accessed 2026-10-12)
Evidence cards: each study above links to its source. Card review dates are listed in our methodology.

Agency pages checked 2026-10-12. Bioma Learn provides information, not medical advice.