
bluecrab.info
https://www.bluecrab.info/cooking_faq.htm
Blue Crab Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why does a crab's shell turn red-orange when cooked? A: The red pigment is the most stable component of the coloring in a crab shell. The greens, blues, and browns which darken the shell in a live crab are destroyed by cooking. The red pigment common to all shrimp, crab, and lobster shells is astaxanthin, a carotenoid (e.g., like Beta-carotene, the pigment that makes fruits red-orange ...