Everything You Need to Know About Itoyori Surimi in 2024

15 Feb 2024

Itoyori surimi has become a favorite among food lovers worldwide, from its roots in Southeast Asia to its popularity in Japan and beyond. This is your go-to guide on itoyori surimi in 2024, where you will explore what kind of surimi it is, its origin, the unique qualities, and even the grades of itoyori surimi.

At the end of it, you will surely know why Itoyori surimi has remained a global choice in the surimi industry. Whether you are a chef or a culinary and cooking enthusiast, this guide has everything you need to know about itoyori surimi.

What is Itoyori Surimi?

Itoyori surimi is one of the types of tropical surimi that is made of threadfin bream. This type of surimi is also known as threadfin-bream surimi. The name “Itoyori” is a Japanese name of this type, which is commonly used for production and trading.

Itoyori surimi is mostly produced in Thailand, Vietnam, India, and Indonesia. Itoyori surimi is well accepted, particularly in Japan, and commands a high price. Therefore, itoyori sirimi is considered to play a major role in surimi markets.

The seafood industry simply favors itoyori surimi because of its white color, smooth texture, and strong gel-forming ability. Such quality made it widely used as a raw material for Japanese “Kamaboko” and surimi crabstick (kani-kama).

Origin of Itoyori Surimi

Itoyori surimi is originally from Southeast Asia, with countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Pakistan as the major producers. It is also commonly used in southern sub-tropical Japan for traditional and contemporary dishes alike.

Back in the early 1980s, Japan began developing surimi from other species, particularly tropical fish.

The species used for itoyori surimi production is mainly from other Southeast Asian countries like Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

As itoyori surimi is famously known for its good quality and easy processing, this has increased global production. Nowadays, as global demand continues to soar, Thailand has become the main supplier of itoyori surimi.

What is Itoyori Surimi made of?

Itoyori surimi is made of threadfin bream, a tropical fish. The threadfin bream used for itoyori surimi production is commonly found in the Indo-West Pacific region.

The size of fish used for the itoyori surimi production is typically less than 30 g/fish. All threadfin bream species used for itoyori surimi are manually headed and gutted before being subjected to deboning, and the surimi factories employ a large number of people for fish cutting.

Fun fact: In Southeast Asia, itoyori surimi is more preferred than Alaskan pollock, the famous cold water surimi, because of its ease of processing and good quality of texture.

Itoyori Surimi Grades

Grade: A

A-grade itoyori surimi has a pH in the range of 6.8 to 7.4, and this range suggests that the surimi has a slightly acidic to neutral pH, which is desirable for maintaining freshness and stability. The moisture content of A-grade itoyori surimi is likely around 78.0 ± 1.0.

The gel strength of A-grade itoyori surimi might be slightly lower compared to grade AA, possibly ranging from 400 to 500. The level of whiteness of A-grade itoyori surimi may reach above 75. And the impurities for this grade are possibly 15/10g.

Grade: AA

The pH range for AA-grade itoyori surimi is also between 6.8 and 7.4. The moisture content for this grade is 76.0% with a tolerance of ±1.0%. The itoyori surimi texture, shelf life, and overall quality really depend on its moisture content, which is why it is important for production.

The gel strength of AA-grade itoyori surimi is in the range of 450–500. While the whiteness is specified to be above 77, the impurity content is specified to be 10/10g.

Grade: SA

SA-grade itoyori surimi has a pH range of 6.8–7.4 as well. For the SA grade, the itoyori surimi’s moisture content (%) is 75.0 ± 1.0, with gel strength between 650 and 700.

The whiteness of SA-grade itoyori surimi is measured to be above 78. The whiteness of itoyori surimi could be visually appealing to consumers because of its clean and white appearance.

And the impurity content of SA-grade itoyori surimi is below 7 per 10 grams.

Grade: SSA

SSA-grade itoyori surimi pH ranges between 6.8 and 7.4, just like the other grades. While the moisture content is the same with SA-grade itoyori surimi, which is 75.0% with a tolerance of ±1.0%.

The gel strength for SSA-grade itoyori surimi is between 850 and 900, and the whiteness range is between 79 and 80. The impurities of SSA-grade itoyori surimi are below 5 per 10 grams. It is important for itoyori surimi producers to keep the impurities low to ensure a clean and hygienic product.

Unique Properties of Itoyori Surimi

Raw material quality

Itoyori surimi stands out in the seafood industry because of its bright white color, which gives it top-notch quality. This surimi is also easy to process, adding more value to itoyori surimi than just a bright color, but something fresh and easy.

Texture

What do you think makes itoyori surimi so popular as tropical surimi? It’s all about the texture. Itoyori surimi texture also offers a satisfying taste that mirrors a fresh seafood product.

Itoyori surimi has become a famous preference in Southeast Asia because of its smooth texture. This also means that 60% of global surimi production is from tropical surimi, one of which is itoyori surimi.

Gel-forming

The other cool thing about itoyori surimi is that it has been famously known to exhibit food gel-forming ability. This special property made itoyori surimi a favorite among chefs and cook enthusiasts.

Conclusion

Itoyori surimi shines famously as a culinary treasure from Southeast Asia. Made from threadfin bream, a tropical fish, itoyori surimi gives great quality with its smooth texture, color, and strong gel-forming ability. This type of tropical surimi remains a favored choice worldwide.

And with Thailand leading the global production of itoyori surimi, it continues to be the pride of the surimi industry and culinary excellence. Let the magic of itoyori surimi inspire your culinary journey in the seafood and surimi industries.

FAQs About Itoyori Surimi

Is itoyori surimi different from other types of surimi in general?

Itoyori surimi is a tropical surimi made specifically from threadfin bream, a tropical fish. Surimi in general may be made from various fish species, whether they are tropical or cold-water ones. But basically, every type of surimi is different from another based on its raw material and quality.

What is the function of grades in itoyori surimi?

Itoyori surimi is graded from A to SSA, each aiming to represent varying levels of quality. The grades are based on factors such as pH, moisture content, gel strength, whiteness, and impurities.