“Eating the shrimp’s digestive tract doesn’t make you sick—as long as you cook it thoroughly,” says Dr. Love. That means ...

Food safety experts explain what the black line in shrimp really is and if it’s safe to eat—or if you should devein them first.

The dark line that runs down the back of the shrimp isn’t really a vein. It’s an intestinal track, brown or blackish in color, and is the body waste, aka poop.

One woman considered that it probably isn't cost effective for the food manufacturer to peel and de-vein the shrimp. But many could not see past their aversion.