Lobsters are often depicted as bright red, leading to a common belief that this is their natural color. This is a common misconception. Before they are cooked, lobsters display a range of different hues. Their true coloration and dramatic change upon heating reveal aspects of their biology.
The Typical Uncooked Color
Live lobsters typically exhibit colors that help them blend into their natural marine environment. Most American lobsters are commonly found in mottled greenish-brown shades. This coloration provides effective camouflage against the rocky, seaweed-filled ocean floor where they reside. Other common variations include dark blue or even purplish hues, which also aid in concealment from predators. Their natural appearance is a survival adaptation.
The Science Behind the Color Change
The color change during cooking results from chemical interactions within its shell. Lobsters obtain a red-orange pigment called astaxanthin from their diet, which includes algae and other organisms. This pigment is naturally red. In a live lobster, however, astaxanthin is usually bound to a protein known as crustacyanin. This binding alters the astaxanthin molecule, causing it to appear as various darker colors, such as blue, green, or brown.
When heat is applied, the proteins in the lobster’s shell begin to denature. This causes the crustacyanin protein to unravel and release the astaxanthin. Once freed from the protein’s grip, astaxanthin reverts to its natural red-orange color. This is why all lobsters, regardless of their live coloration, turn a reddish hue once cooked. The same pigment is responsible for the pink color of cooked shrimp and crabs.
Uncommon Lobster Colors
Some lobsters exhibit rare and vibrant shell colors due to genetic variations. These mutations affect how astaxanthin is produced, stored, or bound. For example, bright blue lobsters occur when a genetic mutation causes an overproduction of crustacyanin, intensifying the blue coloration. These blue lobsters are estimated to appear in approximately 1 in 2 million individuals.
Other rare hues include yellow or orange lobsters, which may result from reduced production of crustacyanin, allowing the astaxanthin pigment to be more visible. Yellow lobsters are estimated to be found in about 1 in 30 million instances. Calico lobsters display a mottled pattern of orange and black, occurring in roughly 1 in 30 million cases. True red lobsters, appearing red before cooking, are also rare, with an estimated occurrence of 1 in 10 million.
The rarest are albino lobsters, appearing white or translucent, occurring in approximately 1 in 100 million lobsters. These unique lobsters are often donated to aquariums due to their rarity.