When various foreign goods simply attacked the domestic market in the 90s of the 20th century, almost every citizen singled out a separate and refined (at that time) product - crab sticks. Their composition, of course, does not contain crabs at all, but at that time a similar imitation of elite meat became the basis for many holiday dishes. Let's talk more about this product, its composition, history and the production process below.
Over time, sticks began to be produced in our country, which significantly reduced their cost. The popularity has subsided after various reports about the dangers of crab sticks, and for many they have already become boring. So what is the product really, are crab sticks so harmful?
Product homeland
The first written mention of surimi was noted in XII in Japan. That is what the first works of culinary art were called there, familiar and familiar to us today as crab sticks.
"Surimi" is translated as "grinded washed fish", which describes the entire manufacturing process. In those days, the composition of crab sticks was exclusively natural and was based on minced meat from ocean fish (always with white meat). After thorough grinding, it was washed so that the smell and taste practically disappeared, and then they were wrung out. Products of various shapes were formed from the resulting mass. The sticks familiar to us were then called “kamaboko” and over time (to give them a new taste), herbs and dyes began to be added to the composition. Surimi industrial production began only 50 years ago.
Surimi Composition
What are crab sticks made of today? Their composition has changed greatly thanks to modern technology and many chemical additives. A natural product should not contain carbohydrates at all, but because of the additional components in modern crab sticks, there are about 15 g of them. Also, there is fish protein in the composition, the amount of which can vary depending on the production technology of the product and the brand's formulation. The calorie content of surimi is only 80-100 Kcal per 100 g of product.
In order to acquire a high-quality product and not fall for falsification, it should be remembered that the basis of imitation of crab meat should be exactly minced fish - surimi. Various manufacturers use starch, egg white, salt, sugar, vegetable oil, possibly water and food additives as additional components. Many of them are prohibited in the EU countries, and we are used everywhere by unscrupulous manufacturers, so you should pay special attention to them. By the way, the composition of Vici crab sticks does not contain such additives, since the brand’s products are imported to various countries of the world and meet their quality standards.
What sticks are made of
Despite the popularity of the product, on domestic tables, many still do not understand what constitutes surimi. This is a concentrated fish protein that does not have enzymes, fats and cholesterol, has high elasticity and gelling properties. Such forcemeat simply does not have color and smell, and fish for its production is suitable only with white meat. Most often, crab sticks include cod fish - hake, pollock or blue whiting, but tropical species can also be used.
Sardines, giant squids, horse mackerels and other breeds are also considered suitable, but the minced meat from them turns out to be dark, therefore such a product is second-rate.
Production technology
Now it’s clear what crab sticks are made of. Their composition, by the way, always contains only raw fish, which allows you to save the maximum amount of vitamins and other nutrients in the final product.
The production itself is carried out directly on the sides of fishing vessels, where the freshly caught fish is immediately processed on a fillet, from which mincemeat is immediately made. Chopped fish meat is thoroughly washed, squeezed and pressed into chilled surimi blocks.
Fish waste here is processed into fodder flour or simply thrown into the sea, but it is forbidden to do so, so many are silent about such a procedure.
On the shore, minced crab sticks are made from minced meat, adding flavors, dyes and other additional components to surimi.
Production is actually not very complicated, while it is based on the processing of fresh and whole fish, and not its waste (as many believe).
Product benefits
The different composition of crab sticks benefits and harms the body in different ways, so it’s difficult to generalize indicators for all products. Surimi's advantage is a high content of fish protein, which is quickly absorbed and does not "burden" the body, but this is if the composition contains real minced fish.
In addition, vegetable oils, starch and water, which are also easily digested, have their own beneficial substances. Many manufacturers additionally enrich their products with amino acids, vitamins and minerals, which positively affects the body.
The harm of crab sticks
Surimi is harmful only in the form of its chemical additives in the composition, many of which are hazardous to health and are prohibited in several countries. The composition of crab sticks “Vichy” does not have them, but the price of this product is appropriate, because you always have to pay for quality. To get a good product, you should not buy the cheapest crab sticks sold by weight and distributed under the brand name of the supermarket. You should also beware of surimi, which after defrosting and unfolding are torn or the paint appears on them on several layers of roll.
The harm to the body is based on the habit of adding crab sticks to salads with mayonnaise.
The high calorie content of such dishes completely covers all the benefits of the surimi itself, even the highest quality. What is only the composition of the salad with crab sticks and corn, the options of which are already a huge number. For every taste, you can choose a set of components for yourself, but all of them are necessarily seasoned with mayonnaise, and some even contain red caviar and butter, so there can be no talk of a low-calorie dish.
The benefits of losing weight
According to nutritionists, it is advisable to use such a low-calorie product in diets. The reason is the high content of light digestible protein, which allows you to quickly restore strength and at the same time not to consume a lot of calories. It is very easy to calculate the latter, because their contents are always indicated on the package. As an ideal diet dish, you can prepare a light salad of fresh tomatoes, tofu cheese and crab sticks. You can fill it with any vegetable oil, but it is better to take olive.
You can also cook boiled rice by sprinkling it with greens, boiled eggs and chopped crab sticks. Melted butter is suitable as a dressing.
How to buy the best product
To get only benefits from crab sticks and minimize harm to the body, you should not purchase the cheapest options, especially weighted ones. A quality product must be stored in a vacuum package in a refrigerated or frozen form. There should not be excess liquid or ice inside the package, which indicates repeated freezing.
Surimi packaging must necessarily contain all the necessary information about the manufacturer, the composition of the product, the period and conditions of its storage. The composition should be indicated first exactly minced fish - surimi. The color of the sticks should be white, and painted - only one side.
After opening the packaging, good crab sticks can easily be turned into tape, they do not crumble and do not break. Their color is uniform, and the consistency is elastic.
Such a product should be stored in the refrigerator and never be frozen again. This significantly degrades the taste and quality of the sticks, so if necessary to use not all packaging, the leftovers should be immediately placed in the freezer.