Is It Real or Is It Surimi?
In the wake of news that the FDA has halted the requirement that surimi–the formed fish product often used in sushi rolls—be identified as “imitation crab” on grocery-store labels, some chefs say the processed product has fallen out of favor in an environment where natural, local and sustainable ingredients are the wave of the future. But others laud surimi’s cost- and labor-saving benefits, noting broad acceptance among consumers for the longtime menu fixture. Also commonly listed as “krab” on menus, surimi is made from Alaskan pollock or other whitefish that is skinned, boned, rinsed and ground to a paste. The cooked, flavored product can then shaped to resemble pricier sea items including crab legs, lobster chunks, shrimp and scallops. Under the new guidelines, it now can be identified in the supermarket sector as “crab-flavored seafood, made with surimi, a fully cooked fish protein.” “I ate the imitation crab often as a child in Japan. It’s very popular there in home cooking,” say
