Crab sticks have become a truly national product as soon as they appeared on the shelves of our stores. Salads with them even forced out the famous Olivier and Fur coats from the festive tables for some time. But, despite this, some housewives have a question whether it is necessary to cook crab sticks for salad and other dishes, and if necessary, how to do it correctly.
Let's try to understand this issue.
Do I need to cook crab sticks for salad
Crab sticks - in fact, they are an imitation of crab meat. This product is made from processed fish protein - that same mysterious word "surimi" on all packages of crab sticks, as well as minced meat of the most inexpensive white fish. The color of the product is given by food coloring. The production process involves several stages of processing and preparation, giving out a product that is ready for use in the end result.
Crab sticks do not need to be cooked additionally. They are completely ready for use. If you bought frozen sticks, then you just need to defrost them.
Do I need to cook crab sticks for stuffing
Some types of crab sticks unwind very well. Smart cooks took advantage of this property and came up with many recipes where some kind of stuffing is wrapped in an unfolded crab stick. But not all sticks turn out to be neatly unfolded even in a well-thawed form. Such species should be dipped in salted boiling water for several minutes.
Crab stick salad is one of the most favorite dishes in the world. festive table. How to choose what we consider "crab meat" so that it is both tasty and not harmful? ...Is there crab in crab sticks?
No. Both sticks and crab meat in packs are just imitations of it. This can be understood immediately by the price. A standard package of crab sticks (200-250 g) costs less than $1. And the same amount of real crab meat - from $15.
The main ingredient of the sticks is minced surimi, the content of which is from 25 to 60%. Together with it, the composition contains water, starch, vegetable oil, egg white, salt, sugar and natural or identical food additives (thickeners, flavors, dyes, flavor enhancers).
Surimi itself is prepared from white fish with a minimum fat content: mackerel, pollock, hake, blue whiting. In fact, surimi is a concentrated protein from fish meat, obtained from fresh fillets, cleaned of blood, fat and enzymes.
How more mince, the better the texture and taste of the sticks. On the packaging of the correct crab sticks, it must be written that this is an “imitation”.
How are they prepared?
Fillets of white fish are crushed and washed for a long time under cold water until only undissolved proteins remain. Further, all moisture is removed from this mass.
The output is a tasteless mass, to which salt, spices and sugar are added. As well as preservatives (sorbic acid - E420, pyrophosphates - E450), glutamic acid, phosphates, carrageenan thickener - otherwise the product will not be stored.
After that, red stripes are created on the meat using dyes E160c (paprika extract) or E120 (carmine or cochineal extracted from insects). They can also add a special bleach to make the meat look more attractive, titanium dioxide. By the way, E120 can cause allergies in some consumers.
After painting, crab sticks pass through the hob, the temperature of which reaches 100 ˚С.
How much can be stored?
After opening the package, the sticks live in the refrigerator for a maximum of 24 hours. Actually, the shelf life of crab salad with mayonnaise does not exceed a day. Then you can get poisoned.
Is there any benefit?
Crab sticks are low-calorie - they contain no more than 100 kcal per 100 g of product. Approximate protein content - 6 g, carbohydrates - 10 g. But they cannot be considered an equivalent replacement for fish in the diet due to the large number of additives.
Impurities that are added to crab sticks are less useful: egg powder increases the proportion of protein in the product, and starch allows you to increase the volume and elasticity of crab sticks.
Do you need to boil before eating?
No. This is a ready to use product. Additional heat treatment can spoil the taste, because the sticks have already passed it before.
Is crab meat safe?
Recent expertise (see table) crab meat showed that in all tested samples of popular brands (Vici, Russian Sea, Meridian / Snow Crab, Santa Bremor, D (Dixie) to one degree or another there are food additives such as dyes ( carmine, paprika extract), stabilizers (sodium polyphosphate, E450, E452), emulsifier (E471), flavor enhancers (monosodium glutamate) and humectant (polyphosphate).
All products are safe, but in some cases they have drawbacks.
* Provided by NP "Roskontrol"
**Product with the lowest organization rating.
But at the same time, all samples, according to the examination, are safe in terms of microbiological indicators.
The presence of these additives does not mean that the manufacturer has violated the law. But experts are convinced: the less additives in the product, the better it is. In addition, the choice "by composition" depends on how important the presence or absence of these ingredients is for the manufacturer.
Expert - Andrey Mosov, Head of the Roskontrol Expert Direction.
Is there crab in crab sticks?
No. Both sticks and crab meat in packs are just imitations of it. This can be understood immediately by the price. A standard package of crab sticks (200-250 g) is sold from 40 rubles. And the same amount of real crab meat - from 900 rubles. The main ingredient of the sticks is minced surimi, the content of which is from 25 to 60%. Together with it, the composition contains water, starch, vegetable oil, egg white, salt, sugar and natural or identical food additives (thickeners, flavors, dyes, flavor enhancers).
Surimi itself is prepared from white fish with a minimum fat content: mackerel, pollock, hake, blue whiting. In fact, surimi is a concentrated protein from fish meat, obtained from fresh fillets, cleaned of blood, fat and enzymes.
The more stuffing, the better the texture and taste of the sticks. On the packaging of the correct crab sticks, it must be written that this is an “imitation”.
How are they prepared?
White fish fillets are crushed and washed for a long time under cold water - until only undissolved proteins remain. Further, all moisture is removed from this mass. The output is a tasteless mass, to which salt, spices and sugar are added. As well as preservatives (sorbic acid - E420, pyrophosphates - E450), glutamic acid, phosphates, carrageenan thickener - otherwise the product will not be stored. After that, red stripes are created on the meat using dyes E160c (paprika extract) or E120 (carmine or cochineal extracted from insects). They can also add a special bleach to make the meat look more attractive, titanium dioxide. By the way, E120 can cause allergies in some consumers.
After painting, crab sticks pass through the hob, the temperature of which reaches 100 ˚С.
How much can be stored?
After opening the package, the sticks live in the refrigerator for a maximum of 24 hours. Actually, the shelf life of crab salad with mayonnaise does not exceed a day. Then you can get poisoned.
Is there any benefit?
Yes. They contain sodium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, zinc, iodine. Moreover, crab sticks are rich in vitamins B₁ and B₂. Surimi contains methionine, which improves the process of wound healing and has a positive effect on fat metabolism. Crab sticks are low-calorie - they contain no more than 100 kcal per 100 g of product. Approximate protein content - 6 g, carbohydrates - 10 g. But they cannot be considered an equivalent replacement for fish in the diet due to the large number of additives.
Impurities that are added to crab sticks are less useful: egg powder increases the proportion of protein in the product, and starch allows you to increase the volume and elasticity of crab sticks.
Do you need to boil before eating?
No. This is a ready to use product. Additional heat treatment can spoil the taste, because the sticks have already gone through it before.
Is crab meat safe?
A recent examination (see table) of crab meat showed that in all tested samples of popular brands (Vici, Russian Sea, Meridian / Snow Crab, Santa Bremor, D (Dixie) in one or another To a lesser extent, there are food additives such as dyes (carmines, paprika extract), stabilizers (sodium polyphosphate, E450, E452), emulsifier (E471), flavor enhancers (monosodium glutamate) and a water-retaining agent (polyphosphate).
|
The results of the examination of crab meat |
|
|---|---|
|
Has misleading markings nutritional value: calculated carbohydrate content in the sample is 60% more than indicated in the label. |
|
|
"Meridian/ |
Mislabeled for protein, fat and carbohydrate content. |
|
Crab meat |
The highest indicators of the biological usefulness of the protein (compared to other tested samples). Mislabeled for fat content. |
|
Crab meat |
Facts of unreliable labeling were not revealed. |
|
Mislabeled for fat content. |
|
All products are safe, but in some cases they have drawbacks.
Provided by NP "Roskontrol"
The product that received the lowest rating from the organization.
But at the same time, all samples, according to the examination, are safe in terms of microbiological indicators.
The presence of these additives does not mean that the manufacturer has violated the law. But experts are convinced: the less additives in the product, the better it is. In addition, the choice "by composition" depends on how important the presence or absence of these ingredients is for the manufacturer.
Crab sticks in Russia fell in love almost immediately. Most likely, the main role here was played by the fact that they can be cooked quickly: after all, this is not even a semi-finished product, but a completely ready-to-eat product.
Mostly, salads are prepared from crab sticks - and our housewives liked to cook salads back in “Soviet” times, and with whole basins, but there are many other dishes that are also prepared quickly and taste good. Of course, the name of the product, “crab” sticks, also had a certain impact on consumers, but it was like that at the very beginning.
What are "crab sticks"
Now it is already clear to everyone that crabs have absolutely nothing to do with it, but they have already got used to the product, learned how to cook many delicious dishes, especially since the price of sticks is low and the shelf life is long. After all, we are used to eating sausage without meat, so why not eat crab sticks without crabs?
Crab sticks are sold today in any store, and although not all buyers look at the composition of this product when buying, many people still have doubts and questions. Consumers are interested in what crab sticks are made of, whether their use is harmful, and of course, which manufacturers' products should be bought and which ones should be discarded. You can find out about the nutritional value of crab sticks if you still look at the back of the package - and absolutely everything should be listed there.
History of crab sticks
Who and when invented crab sticks? Of course, the Japanese did it - after all, they always come up with a lot of new and interesting things, and then the whole world uses it and wonders: wow! Crab sticks, in general, were invented by the Japanese a long time ago, at the beginning of the 12th century. More precisely, then the Japanese began to make white minced meat from fish, calling it “surimi”.
The then semi-finished products were prepared from surimi: koloboks, sausages, etc. These foods were then fried, boiled or baked using their own Japanese seasonings. Most of all, the people loved "kamaboko" - dense fish balls.
Time passed, and the Japanese began to try to export this product, but the market did not accept it. In Western countries, it has been said that surimi balls are like soap-flavored rubber, and even dogs won't eat them.
And so, in the 70s of the XX century, everything quickly changed, and dramatically: the product from surimi became loved by consumers of the entire civilized world. What is the secret of such phenomenal success?
The fact is that it was at this time in the food industry different countries food additives began to be widely used: dyes, flavors, flavor enhancers and other fruits of scientific achievements. And then the surimi product, previously understood only by the Japanese, turned into exotic “crab” sticks for consumers in many countries - an imitation of crab meat. In America, Europe and Russia, crab sticks are especially popular, but in Japan, everything is calm, as before - of all products made from surimi, crab sticks account for only 10%.
Probably, in the 12th century, much better quality fish was used to make surimi, and it was certainly environmentally friendly. However, today surimi is not made from the most the best views fish: usually haddock, blue whiting, pollock, hake, perch and other white fish. Fish fillet it is washed, ground, and then, to remove excess moisture, it is passed through a centrifuge.
It turns out a light mass, to which salt, sugar and starch are added - this is surimi. I must say that Russian food industry enterprises rarely cook surimi themselves: they buy it abroad - in Canada, the USA, Argentina and other countries, and crab sticks are cooked on the spot.
Many other ingredients are added to surimi: vegetable oil, vegetable and egg protein, purified water, starch, stabilizers, flavors, thickeners, flavor enhancers, dyes - for example, carrageenan or carmine, so that the sticks have an attractive red color. It turns out that only 45% of minced fish remains in the product - at best, since usually there is no more than 25% of it, which is considered a completely normal ratio. The product packaging does not indicate the percentage of ingredients at all, but you still need to read the composition. Today, consumers already know that the ingredients that appear first on the list make up the bulk of the product, so if the word "surimi" is first, then the sticks are of acceptable quality and they can be bought.
If this word is in second place, the amount of fish in the product is minimized, and when it is not on the list, then there is no fish at all, but there is only starch, soy protein and various substitutes. Such sticks are hardly worth buying, of course, if you are not completely indifferent to what you eat.
As for the quantity food additives, then you can’t get away from them - without them there are simply no crab sticks. Another thing is that Russia still allows those harmful additives that have long been banned in countries that care about the health of their citizens. Additives such as E450, E420, E160, E171, which can cause allergies and chronic diseases, have long been banned in the EU countries, and they are actively used in our country.
Many manufacturers and even experts try to convince the consumer that chemical additives in a small amount will not harm health. Perhaps, if you do not take into account that we constantly buy products in our stores, in which there are more than enough such substances, and crab sticks are added to almost all salads, replacing other ingredients with them - because it turns out cheaper.
In any case, the decision to purchase is made by the consumer, but there is one more thing to keep in mind. The microbiological contamination of the product is much more dangerous than the content of "chemistry" in it, especially since crab sticks are most often not subjected to heat treatment before use. So it's better to buy products from well-known manufacturers in vacuum packaging than cheaper options by weight.
How to choose crab sticks
What crab sticks are worth buying? Of course, you need to pay attention to appearance: sticks should be neat and beautiful, look appetizing, be juicy and elastic, similar to crab meat. Dry, frozen and devoid of elasticity, the sticks are not worthy of attention, like those sold from the freezer, where the temperature is below -18 ° C, as they taste qualities and all the more any value is completely lost.
You can not freeze crab sticks again: such a product can be determined by the presence of ice and snow in the package, and also refuse to buy. The sticks should be evenly and neatly colored on one side, and all information about the manufacturer, expiration date and storage conditions should be written on the package.
Crab sticks: harm or benefit
Consider crab sticks useful product not worth it: all vitamins, minerals and healthy fats disappear during the preparation of surimi, only fish protein remains. And yet, their dishes remain popular. One of these dishes is crab sticks “under a fur coat” (although usually herring is cooked “under a fur coat”).
It is necessary to hard-boil 5-6 eggs and separate the whites from the yolks. Grate the squirrels and lay them in an even layer in a deep plate, lay finely chopped onion on top and processed cheese, grated on a fine grater. grated butter(50 g) lay on the cheese, and cover with a layer of light mayonnaise on top. Cut the sticks into thin circles, and then unfold to make “noodles”, and lay them on the mayonnaise in an even layer. Top - grated green apple, another layer of mayonnaise and grated egg yolk.
Crab sticks and children
And about something else.
Some parents are very pleased when their young children eat crab sticks just like that, for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and even love them more than sweets. It is known that the child's body is more susceptible to "chemistry", and quickly gets used to it, so it turns out something like a food addiction. This applies not only to crab sticks, but also to all products that contain chemical food additives.
Parents believe that if pediatricians do not specifically warn them about this, then there is nothing to fear. It is worth remembering that doctors are mainly engaged in the treatment of diseases, but parents should deal with the health of children. So it’s better for adults to eat crab sticks themselves if they want, and for kids to cook dishes from real fresh fish.
Crab stick salad has long been a success on almost every holiday table among the inhabitants of our country. Products for its preparation are inexpensive and you can make such a salad very quickly. Pro crab salad i can say the same thing as about sauerkraut- and it’s not a shame to put it on the table, and they will eat it - it’s not a pity.
Of course, we all understand that there is no trace of crab meat in crab sticks. More precisely, there is only the smell of crab meat. No, have you ever seen a live crab? How many fillets can be taken from it? I think it’s almost like goat’s milk ... And if crab sticks were made from natural crab meat, then they would cost an exorbitant amount, and not mere pennies, as in reality.
What is surimi?
No, this is not some exotic type of fish. This is just ground commercial fish (cod, hake, etc.) mixed with fish waste (small or damaged during fishing or transporting fish), soy-based fish protein and thickeners.
Initially, in Japan, surimi was considered even noble and gourmet dish. And all because it was prepared from the meat of white fish. Cooks created various figurines from surimi, decorated with greens and vegetables. But later, due to production on an industrial scale, the art of surimi was lost, and the composition of this dish has undergone significant changes.
Is there any benefit in the current surimi?
To begin with, let's read the composition on the packaging of crab sticks to the very end. What is there? Thickeners, dyes, flavors and flavor enhancers. I do not think that such ingredients will add benefits to crab sticks. The cheapest samples of this product also contain soy protein, that is, a soy surrogate.
Maybe someone will count the crab sticks dietary product… However, this is not the case at all. Crab sticks should not be placed next to fish and seafood. Because they contain a fairly large amount of starch and sugar, and taste enhancers that whet the appetite make us eat more than we need. And this can already become dangerous for a slender figure. Plus, everything useful material contained in the fish are lost even in the process of grinding it into the fish mass.
Vintage japanese recipes surimi preparations said that this dish should be prepared only from freshly caught fish. And they used to make surimi not for good, but only to enjoy it once, since this dish very quickly loses its taste.
Now the raw materials for crab sticks are delivered to the place of manufacture in a frozen form. Thawed to be stuffed with soy and dyes, molded into sticks and refrozen. Then the product goes to stores, where it can be thawed and frozen several more times. And what ends up in our salad? To be honest, I don't even want to think about it...
For those who still love crab sticks
If, despite what you read about above, you still do not stop loving crab sticks, then choose a product that is made in accordance with GOST. According to GOST, the product we are talking about today is called the ANALOGUE of crab sticks. Why analog? It's simple: because in their composition there is no one in the slightest degree similar to a crab 🙂
Also look at the appearance of the packaging - it should not be wrinkled or leaky. The crab sticks themselves should not be wrinkled inside. Shrunken sticks are the first sign that the product was stored incorrectly, as a result of which it lost some of its moisture, and hence its taste.
Pay attention to the temperature inside the refrigerated display case. It should not be less than minus 18 degrees.
How to cook crab sticks?
Have you ever thought about the fact that crab sticks contain raw fish mass? A raw fish must be subjected to heat treatment. That is why, before cutting the sticks into a salad, it is better to fry them in a pan with non-stick coating without adding oil.
