Surimi Fish: Types of fish used in the making of surimi

Introduction to Surimi Variations

Multiple variations of surimi are made to meet the tastes and needs of a wide range of consumers in the culinary sector. These include tropical and cold-water surimi. Since the surimi fish used in each one is different, they all have their own unique qualities and tastes.

Tropical surimi is made from fish like threadfin bream, lizardfish, and goatfish. Itoyori, kintokidai, eso, and himeji are all varieties of tropical surimi. These kinds are known for having deep, rich flavors that give dishes a tropical touch, resulting in tastes that are fresh and exotic.

Another type, cold-water surimi, comes from fish like Alaskan pollock, Pacific whiting, and blue whiting that are used as raw materials. This type of surimi has a milder flavor and a firmer texture, which makes it perfect for traditional recipes and gives them a cool, oceanic flavor.

Additionally, freshwater surimi, such as that from silver carp in China, offers a unique quality and taste profile, adding further diversity to the surimi market.

Common Fish Species for Surimi Production

• Threadfin Bream (Itoyori)

  

Within Southeast Asia, threadfin bream is one of the tropical fish that is mostly used to make tropical surimi. In southern subtropical Japan, this species is also called Itoyori.

They usually live in tropical and subtropical seas in the Indo-West Pacific region. Most of these species are between 10 and 15 cm long. Fish that are less than 30 g/fish, on the other hand, are usually used to make surimi. 

Fun fact: In Southeast Asia, threadfin bream is preferred more than Alaskan pollock because it is easier to process. 

Threadfin bream is used to make high-quality surimi with strong gel power. In addition, this species is highly sought after for its smooth, white color, which makes it ideal for making surimi around the world, especially by tropical surimi producers. 

Now, most of the "fresh-chilled" threadfin bream that is sold comes from southern Thailand, more specifically the area around the Andaman Sea. You can also get a lot of it from the water around Myanmar.

• Big Eye Snapper (Kintokidai)

  

The second most common surimi fish used is the big-eye snapper. This species is called kintokidai in Japan. 

In Southeast Asia, you can find two different kinds of big-eye snappers. The first one is red, 100–200 g, and has white meat with a high gel. It weighs about 30 to 70 grams less and has a grayish color. This type has a deeper color and a lower gel.

Due to its looks and how thick its skin is, this species is not eaten directly. That is why the big eye snapper works well for producing surimi. 

In Vietnam, bigger big-eye snappers are often mixed with threadfin bream to make the gel stronger. The smaller size is used for mixed fish.

• Lizardfish (Eso)

  

Lizardfish, which is also called Eso in Japanese, is another type of surimi fish that has been valued as a premium ingredient in southern Japan. This kind of surimi fish has a lot of meat, is white, tastes different, and can form a firm gel.

Lizardfish is known for the good qualities listed above, but it loses its freshness and ability to form a gel rapidly over time, even when it is frozen. As a result, Japan only uses fresh raw materials.

In ASEAN, lizardfish is not a very valuable surimi fish because it only makes white surimi with little gel. 

While in Thailand, lizardfish is often dried and eaten as a snack. It is also mixed with threadfin bream to make surimi seafood, which includes crab sticks, fish balls, and other foods.

Lizardfish was also used instead of jack mackerel surimi in Europe to mix with Alaskan pollock to make crab sticks. In Japan and Korea, it is also used to make fish cakes.

• Red Mullet/Goatfish (Himeji)

  

Red mullet, also called goatfish or Himeji in Japanese, is caught in Thailand, India, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Depending on their size, they are handled in different ways. This species is also well-known for being a tropical species with muscles that are very good at breaking down proteins. 

Fish that weigh 100 to 200 grams are sold whole or cut into pieces with the skin still on for markets in Europe. A type of surimi called Himeji is made from smaller fish. In the past, this species has also been used to make surimi seafood, like fish sausage.

• Ribbon Fish (Tachiuo)

  

Ribbon fish, also called hairtail or Tachiuo, is a thin, blue fish that lives in the Indo-Pacific area. This species is usually between 70 and 90 cm long but can grow up to 110 cm long. This surimi fish, on the other hand, has low gel-forming ability and is a darker color

Ribbon fish used to be an important part of China's surimi production, but since 2010, it has been going down because fewer fish are being caught. 

In Korea and Japan, ribbon fish is popular for fried surimi seafood because it tastes good and is cheap, despite its low gel-forming ability and darker color.

• Croaker (Guchi)

  

The croaker, which is called guchi in Japanese, is the other tropical surimi fish. There are two main kinds of this surimi fish, and each one is uniquely different.

The first one is called jew fish, or kiguchi in Japanese. Because it produces white, high-gel surimi, this species has been chosen for Japan's traditional kamaboko industry. 

When compared to kamaboko made from Alaska pollock, kamaboko made from kiguchi has a better taste and texture.

Japanese people call the second one shiroguchi. Compared to kiguchi, this species has a lower gel and a slightly darker color. 

In India, shiroguchi is treated as a single species. This species is used to make mixed fish surimi in Vietnam and China.

It is usual for the other species of croaker, such as the black-mouth croaker, the white croaker, and the yellow croaker, to live in subtropical areas of Japan, China, and Taiwan. Croaker, on the other hand, is expensive to buy at the fish market, so only small fish are preferred to be used to make surimi.

• Alaskan Pollock

  

Alaskan pollock has been used to make surimi since the mid-1960s. Alaskan pollock has been the top-selling fish for the surimi industry ever since. 

In the northeast of Japan, Alaska pollock, which is called Suketodara in Japanese, is used to make surimi products such as Chikuwa. 

Alaskan pollock is a cold-water surimi fish that has been considered to grow quickly and not live very long. 

Alaskan pollock is very sensitive to changes in temperature, just like other cold-water surimi fish. Therefore, to maintain the quality of Alaskan pollock surimi, it is important to keep the temperature in check.  

• Pacific Whiting

  

Pacific whiting is a kind of "hake" fish, like pollock and many other types of hake. People have long loved this surimi fish for its delicate taste and texture. Some species are even highly valued as the best fish to eat. 

But the quality of Pacific whiting changes because its meat is not very hard when it is caught off the West Coast of the US and Canada.

The global market for surimi products made from Pacific whiting has a lower price than the global market for pollock surimi products, and most of them are sent to Korea.

• Silver Carp (China)

  

The silver carp is one of the major species that live in fresh water in China. The surimi industry also prefers this species because it has a short growth cycle, is cheap, and has soft meat. Additionally, studies have shown that this species has good gelling properties.

In China, silver carp has been used as the main ingredient in many surimi seafood items, such as crabstick.

• Blue Whiting

  

1. Southern Blue Whiting

Southern blue whiting (SBW) can only be found in the sub-Antarctic waters. Since it is moist and has high flexibility and setting ability, this species has been considered to be the most useful surimi fish on the market.

However, it is important to keep in mind that southern blue whiting is often infected with parasites, which means it cannot be used to make fillets. Therefore, most of the catch is directed toward surimi production.

2. Northern Blue Whiting

Like southern blue whiting, northern blue whiting (NBW) makes high-quality surimi that is very flexible if it is handled right away. 

In 2003, plants were built on the shores of Russia and the Faroe Islands. However, these companies had trouble because raw materials did not come in regular supplies, market prices were low, and the value of fish meal was low, so it was more profitable to use the fish to make fish meal instead. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, a wide variety of surimi fish, each with unique benefits, are ideal for the surimi industry. 

These fish add special traits to the manufacturing of surimi, such as the big-eye snapper's strong gel capabilities and the threadfin bream's ease of processing. The consistent quality of Alaskan pollock is still playing its role in the market, but the mild flavor of Pacific whiting and the affordability of silver carp also play important parts. 

As the surimi industry expands, it keeps up with the demands of a global consumer base, providing a good-quality and varied selection of surimi fish for the best production.