Tropical Surimi vs Cold Water Surimi: Unveiling All the Differences

Historical Background

Tropical Surimi

Tropical surimi is a type of surimi that originated in Southeast Asia. The main material for tropical surimi is tropical fish.

In the early 2000s, it was estimated that about 200,000 MT of surimi product was made from tropical fish, with Thailand having the biggest contribution, accounting for about 50% of tropical surimi production at the time.

The other countries in Southeast Asia, such as Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Indonesia, also developed their tropical surimi industry.

The production volume of tropical surimi then expanded to around 500,000 MT in 2011–2012. Up until now, the tropical surimi production in Southeast Asia has been contributing massively and globally to the further growth of the surimi industry.

Cold Water Surimi

Cold water surimi has its roots in northern regions, particularly Japan and North America. In the mid-20th century, cold water surimi gained popularity as a way to utilize cold water species such as Alaska pollock.

In 1991–1992, the Japanese surimi industry helped the U.S. surimi industry produce cold water surimi from Pacific whiting off the Oregon coast.

Other species, such as hoki and southern blue whiting, in the South Pacific Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean are also famously used to produce cold-water surimi.

As the surimi industry became increasingly known, the production of cold water surimi also developed in 2005–2011, specifically cold water surimi from Alaskan pollock that ranged from 132,000 to 250,000 MT.

Sources, Harvesting, and Processing

1. Differences in the fish species used

   

Tropical surimi is primarily sourced from a variety of fish species found in warm waters, such as:

• Threadfin Bream, the famous one, is known for its firm texture and sweet flavor.

• Lizardfish offers a unique flavor profile and texture.

• Big Eye Snapper, famously known for it, adds a distinct taste to tropical surimi with its texture and sweet flavor.

• Croaker, having firm flesh and a distinctive taste, is rich in protein.

While the cold water surimi relies on fish species found in colder regions, such as:

• Alaskan Pollock is the most famous species used for cold water surimi production. This species is also used for crabstick production in Europe.

• Hoki, another common choice for cold-water surimi production, has firm flesh and a mild flavor.

• Pacific Whiting, a species used for cold water surimi, is valued for its flaky texture and mild taste. Because of its characteristic texture and taste, it is suitable for various surimi-based products.

• The Northern Blue Whiting species also has a mild flavor and firm texture that make it quite common to use as the raw material.

The key differences between species used for either tropical surimi or cold water surimi are based on their availability, flavor profile, and texture, which makes some of them preferable in the Asian market and the rest in Europe.

2. Harvesting and processing plant

   

Fish species used for tropical surimi are manually headed and gutted (H&G) before entering the deboning machine. The postharvest hours from harvesting to production are quite long, generally 1-3 weeks.

Other than that, tropical fish used for production have a higher fat content compared to cold-water fish like pollock and whiting, which requires them to get into the removal of floating fat during the washing process.

Moreover, in order to maintain high textural properties, tropical fish should be processed within 3 days after harvesting when stored on ice.

While the cold-water species, particularly in the Alaska pollock and Pacific whiting fisheries, have a number of methods for harvesting and transporting fish, The large factory trawlers, 70–150 m in length, are used for the pollock fisheries.

The time between capture and final production for cold water species is usually short, ensuring high-quality products.

However, the cold-water species processing plants might face a challenge with the steaming time required to transport fish to the facility. To mitigate this, operations are strategically located near fishing grounds to minimize transport time and keep the quality at its best.

All cold-water fish are stored in either refrigerated seawater or Champagne ice, with storage temperatures around 2–3 °C. This aims to help maintain the quality of cold water surimi.

Flavor, Texture, and Characteristics

1. Taste profiles of tropical vs cold water surimi

Tropical and cold water surimi have a distinctive taste to one another. Tropical surimi serves a savory flavor with a hint of sweetness. This made tropical surimi a good choice to combine with local ingredients because it would result in a unique taste.

While cold water surimi has a milder taste, that allows a broader range of flavor enhancements. However, cold water surimi can also offer a sweeter taste while using Alaska pollock as the main material.

2. Textural differences and characteristics

Tropical surimi famously serves a firm and chewy texture, which can be compared clearly by making kamaboko (surimi seafood) based on tropical fish, croaker, and cold water species, such as Alaska pollock.

On the other hand, cold-water surimi has a more delicate texture and is softer. This makes cold water surimi the perfect treat where a smooth and tender texture is desired.

3. Temperature sensitivity 

Tropical surimi is significantly more thermally stable compared to cold-water surimi. However, it is important to keep the temperature not too high to maintain its quality.

Cold water surimi, on the other hand, is quite sensitive to temperature. It is important to keep the temperature low so that it will not lose its protein. 

Market Trends

1. Global demand and market trends

   

Cold water surimi dominates the Western market and represented over 50% of the total market back in the 2000s. Alaska pollock and whiting led to the cold water surimi not only in Europe but also globally.

However, global supply and demand have changed since 2006, indicating tropical surimi plays a major role in the surimi industry.

Tropical surimi production continuously grew during that period to follow the evolving demand, which forced the surimi industry to increase production by about 2–3 percent to cover the demand.

Though tropical surimi now leads the global demand, cold water surimi are not left far behind. With the popularity of Alaska Pollock, cold water surimi manages to expand and keep its market globally.

2.  Consumer preferences

   

Tropical surimi is majorly preferred in Southeast Asian and Pacific cuisines. Even to make kamaboko in Southeast Asia, tropical surimi is preferred rather than Alaska pollock, which is considered to have a blander taste as the raw material of kamaboko.

While cold water surimi dominates the Western market, Cold water surimi, such as the one made from Alaska pollock, has the largest consumption in the U.S.

Fun fact: Cold water surimi, such as Pacific whiting, is also preferable outside the Western market and has been exported to Korea due to its high quality and lower price than pollock.

Conclusion

All in all, both tropical and cold water surimi offer their own taste and characteristics. The difference between tropical and cold water surimi also varied, from each historical background to their roles in global demand and trends.

While tropical surimi is rooted in Southeast Asia and offers a savory flavor and firm texture, the cold water surimi, which is the main material led by species such as Alaska pollock, opens a wide interest in the Western market with its milder taste and unique texture.

Despite these differences, both tropical and cold water surimi have contributed fairly to the surimi industry. Whether you prefer the sweet flavor of tropical surimi or the milder taste of cold water surimi, the versatility and culinary attraction of these distinctive seafood items are undeniable.