What Kind Of Fish Is Surimi?

Surely you've seen surimi before, peeking out of a California roll next to avocado and cucumber or sliced into a poke bowl with rice and edamame. In the States it's most familiarly known as crabstick or imitation crab, and while it's not actually crab, it's most definitely seafood. Surimi is made by combining various types of fish and fish flavorings, binders, preservatives, and food coloring. Wild Alaska Pollock, a fish native to the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea, is most commonly used in the mixture.

First made in the 12th century, surimi was created by Japanese chefs as a way to preserve leftover fish by salting and grinding it into a paste. In the late 1960s, chemist Nishitani Yōsuke discovered that adding sucrose or sorbitol to surimi (instead of salt) stabilized the paste, enabling it to be frozen without denaturing the proteins. Otherwise, the fish paste would develop an unappetizing, spongy texture in the freezer.

Mostly caught in the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska, the wild Alaska pollock fishery is one of the most sustainable and plentiful in the world. Because of its abundance, wild Alaska Pollack is the perfect fish for the surimi industry. Today, the global surimi market is valued at nearly $4 billion and it continues to grow, with the largest producers being Japan and the United States.

Wild Alaska pollock has a mild flavor and a firm texture, similar to cod. The subtlety makes it an excellent base for surimi, which is flavored to taste like affordable versions of popular shellfish, such as lobster, scallops, shrimp, and crab. Shaped into balls, patties, or sticks, the versatile fish paste can be found in all kinds of foods, from the filling stuffed into crispy-fried crab rangoons to chopped salads and creamy chowders. High in protein and low in fat, it's well-suited for deep frying or as the star of a hearty fish stew. The next time you gobble down your favorite fish sticks or Chinese dumplings, you might just be eating surimi.