· Why remove it? Mostly for looks and texture. The vein can have a slightly gritty or bitter taste, especially if the shrimp wasn’t purged before cooking.
· The “other vein”: Occasionally you’ll see a thinner, translucent line on the underside of the shrimp. That’s the ventral nerve cord (the shrimp’s equivalent of a spinal cord). It’s harmless and doesn’t affect flavor.
In short: The shrimp’s “vein” is actually its intestine. Removing it makes the shrimp look cleaner and avoids any possible grittiness, but it’s not a health requirement
