Main • Seafood Highlighter/Extender

[babylon]

I used to love eating seafood highlighter but not so sure anymore

[mal.com]

They used to use Blue Grenadier (NZ translation "Hoki") to make surimi and it is minced and washed out several times, until no fish flavour remains and then the desired flavour added. As Hoki is now becoming an endangered species, it's days in Surimi are probably numbered too.


cheers

Mal de mer

[Big D]

hi everyone,
i took the subject Seafood Processing & Industry Operations as part of my degree, seafood extender- seafood/fish/crab sticks are indeed surimi (we actually got to make surimi, which was interesting)

here is a shorten simplified version of some of my notes (if you want more let me know)

Surimi is a highly functional fish protein, water, cryoprotectant and (other additives) combination
which forms a stable gel when properly combined. surimi is made from washed minced
fish flesh. the washing of the mince removes most of the water-soluble protein, blood,
Myoglobin, enzymes, bacteria, skin pigments, visceral contamination and decomposition
products. so all you are left with is the colourless and odourless fish myofibrillar protein
(primarily actomyosin).

I would also like to direct you to this page they have analysed it, as you can see its predominately moisture and protein

http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/monitor ... D=05D10227

Also if it does contain offal it has to be declared as stated in clause 4 of standard 2.2.1 requirements for the declaration of the presence of offal .

"If offal is present in food it must be clearly declared. Where the product is not required to bear a label, e.g. if the product is sold unpackaged, there is a requirement that the presence of offal must be declared to the purchaser. Certain types of offal (brain, heart, kidney, liver, tongue and tripe) can be declared either by the class name, ‘offal’, or by the specific name, e.g. liver can be referred to as ‘offal’ or as ‘liver’. Other types of offal (such as blood, pancreas, spleen and thymus) are not permitted in meat and meat products unless labelled specifically by name. That is, their presence may not be declared only by the class name ‘offal’. "


I believe that offal being used as a major ingredient in these products is an urban myth but I’m happy to be proven wrong.

Yes it may be made from Mekong river catfish it would make sense cheap and abundant, it can be made from any fish.

cheers horto

Sounds pretty credible, thanks Horto. I'll keep eating it and I'm glad it's not offal because I would still eat it but not enjoy it as much!

[AJD]

I kind of like the term - "lips, tits and jiggly bits" that my butcher brother uses for processed goods.

[grinner]

the grossest thing ive been fed was by a phillipino who think a fertile chicken egg about 2/3 of the way to hatching, fried in a pan is a real delicacy, forget what they call it

[sbd]

the grossest thing ive been fed was by a phillipino who think a fertile chicken egg about 2/3 of the way to hatching, fried in a pan is a real delicacy, forget what they call it

Mmm, balut. If you're ever in Istanbul, stop by a sheep's head restaurant, if you're still hungry there's always tripe soup or kokorec for afters.

If seafood extender was made of offal I'd be eating it, but as washed, reflavoured fish mince no thanks - if they have to wash the decomposition products out of it it ain't edible.

[haynsie]

You have got to be kidding!!

As fishermen, we've got the freshest seafood in the world at our fingertips and some of you choose to eat this stuff?!!

Cripes..

[Davey G]

Yep - agree on that sentiment.. All I can ask is WHY would you eat it?? It sounds like the human food equivalent of GULP.

[haynsie]

That's about the only use I can think of for it. Has anyone tried it as bait?

[HORTO85]

If seafood extender was made of offal I'd be eating it, but as washed, reflavoured fish mince no thanks - if they have to wash the decomposition products out of it it ain't edible.

Its very very unlikely that there would be any decomposition products on/in the fillets/mince, however if somehow there was the washing (water leaching) processes would remove them. So its not that have to remove the decomposition products, because there usually not present. however if somehow a bad fish/fillet made it past a HACCP (hazard analysis and critical control point) check, then the decomposition products would be removed in the washing process. its not like there taking half decomposed fish and trying to make surimi out of it.

i personally do not usually eat surimi products because i don't like how sweet they can be.

[padfoot]

It sounds like the devon of the sea.
mmmmmm devon