Contents
Crab sticks have long received a permanent registration in our refrigerator. Today, they can easily be found in any supermarket. But sometimes even the most experienced housewives are confused by the motley variety of the assortment. How to choose high-quality crab sticks? What ingredients are included in their composition? How to calculate a surrogate? We are looking for answers to these and other questions together with the VIČI trademark.
Where did the crab sticks come from
First of all, let’s figure out what crab sticks are made from. The basis of a quality product is always minced fish. As a rule, it is made from pollock, haddock, hake, perch, whiting or other marine fish of white varieties. Obviously, the more valuable the raw material, the better and tastier the final product. Before turning the fish into minced meat, the fins, small bones and entrails, down to the smallest fragments, are carefully removed from it. Then the fillets are washed, ground and passed through a powerful centrifuge to remove excess moisture. Select the purest fillet of white fish and becomes the basis for high-quality crab sticks.
It is noteworthy that the first people began to prepare minced fish using simplified technology in Japan in the XII century. The Japanese themselves call it “surimi” — this is the word that can often be seen on the label. Traditionally, thick sausages or koloboks were rolled out of minced meat, after which they were cooked, baked or fried. So it is the Japanese who can rightly be considered the inventors of crab sticks.
The Western world initially rejected this gastronomic know-how with disdain, comparing it to rubber or a bar of soap. Europeans and Americans tried crab sticks only in the 70s of the last century. It was then, thanks to the efforts of the food industry, the composition of surimi was replenished with new components, and crab sticks acquired a familiar taste for us.
How many crabs are there in the sticks?
Russian manufacturers, in addition to minced fish, add starch, vegetable oils, soy and egg white, salt and sugar to the recipe of crab sticks. All of these components, of course, have a legitimate right to be part of surimi.
What can not be said about the ingenious food “chemistry” of varying degrees of harmfulness. An unscrupulous manufacturer masks cheap raw materials with flavor enhancers, and with the help of dubious preservatives prolongs the life of the product. However, it is impossible to do without food additives at all. As a rule, these are harmless dyes, flavorings and stabilizers approved by experts.
In any case, before you put the package of chopsticks in the cart, carefully read the list of all the ingredients listed on the label. Please note: if “surimi” or “minced fish” is in the first place, it is a product of the highest quality that meets all the stated requirements. But the meat of natural crab is worth looking for in premium quality products.
Remember: the later the minced fish is listed in the composition of the sticks, the lower its content in the product. If such a component is absent in principle, it is more than compensated with starch or soy. It is better to return such goods back to the shelf.
What the packaging hides
How to choose really high-quality crab sticks? First, carefully examine the packaging from all sides. Needless to say, the expiration date should be checked first.
The packaging itself must be smooth and without any external damage. If a small amount of ice or snow has frozen on top, most likely, the product has been re-frozen, which is strictly prohibited. Such a trick is resorted to when there is no trace of freshness left.
Be sure to pay attention to how crab sticks are stored in supermarkets. The chilled product is given a place in special open refrigerated display cases. Frozen sticks are kept in refrigerated cabinets with transparent tightly closed doors.
A conscientious manufacturer specifies in detail the composition of crab sticks on the label. At the same time, the font should be large, and the mysterious names of food additives should be honestly deciphered. Knowing the composition, you can be sure of the quality of the product. That is why it is not recommended to buy crab sticks by weight. After all, in fact, you will get a cat in a bag, in which not the most pleasant surprises can be hidden.
What do crab sticks say?
The appearance of crab sticks can tell you a lot. They should be smooth and neat, quite elastic to the touch. When pressed, they should completely restore their shape. Try bending the wand in half. If there are cracks in the place of the fold, this is a quality product. If the stick immediately broke in half, it means that too much starch was put in it or they completely forgot to put the most important ingredient — surimi.
Regular crab sticks — smooth snow-white color. A dirty gray shade indicates that the cheapest fish was used for their preparation or a lot of starch was added. But be careful. Premium quality crab sticks can sometimes have an even light gray hue. This is how some valuable breeds of natural crab manifest themselves. You can establish the truth by carefully reading the composition of the ingredients. The yellowish tint clearly indicates that the product is spoiled. Red sticks are colored only from the top. Here, the color can vary from pale pink to rich scarlet. But be careful: too bright color is a sign of the presence of dyes.
Arrange another test for the wand: try to unwind it to its full length. If you managed to do this without effort and the thin layer almost never broke, you have a product of proper quality. If the stick fell apart in the hands or turned into a sticky mass, this was helped by an excess of starch. Eating such a product is not worth it, so as not to risk your health once again.
And finally, another sure way to choose high-quality crab sticks. Give preference only to large proven manufacturers with a solid reputation. Such as the VIČI trademark. The products of this brand fully meet the high quality standards, and it is deservedly trusted by millions of consumers. This means that you can be absolutely sure of the right choice.