Surimi

Surimi refers to both a process of mincing, steaming, then shaping the flesh of fish or poultry and in North America as products produced from this process when fish is used. The resulting product has the texture as if it was a whole natural product. The process was developed in Japan 700 years ago and is used in the making of kamaboko.

Surimi is useful because it allows the manufacturer to make a lower quality protein, such as minced Pollock, imitate the texture and taste of a higher quality product such as lobster tail. The resulting Surimi products, depending on the type of fish used in the process, are typically tasteless so they must be flavored, and contain 0-4 grams of Fat with 0-1 grams of cholesterol while still yielding 6-30 grams of protein per serving.

Typically Surimi products have been in imitation of other seafood products, such as crab, however several companies do produce Surimi sausages, lunchmeats, hams, and burgers a couple of example include: Salmolux Salmon burgers, Seapack Surimi Ham, SeaPack Surimi Salami, and Seapack Surimi Rolls. A patent was issued for the process of making even higher quality proteins from fish such as in the making of Imitation Steak from Surimi.

The Surimi process is also used in the making of turkey products. It is employed in making products such as turkey burgers, turkey brats, turkey sausage, turkey pastrami, turkey franks, turkey loafs and turkey salami.