Coloring technology for surimi seafood

Surimi seafood was invented to mimic primarily Alaska king crab in Japan in the mid 1970s. Over 30 years of the production history, various surimi seafood products have been developed beyond shellfish (crab, shrimp, and lobster) and finfish (salmon and anchovy) substitutes. Now surimi seafood stands strong with its own identity, not as a shellfish substitute. Their color ranges from dark-red to bright blood-red, and dark brown-red to orange-red. Currently the worldwide industry achieves the desired surface color (hue) by blending various colorants such as carmine, monascus, paprika oleoresin, caramel, canthaxanthin, lycopene, and emulsifiers. All these colorants are derived from natural sources except canthaxanthin and beta-carotene which are chemically synthesized. In the body of white meat except salmon and anchovy style products, whitening agents such as vegetable oil, calcium carbonate, and titanium carbonate are used. This chapter covers colorants used in surimi seafood, color application to crabstick, application problems (flaking and bleeding/transfer), quality measurement, and labeling requirements.