Processing of surimi and surimi seafoods

Surimi is stabilized myofibrillar protein from fish muscle. More simply, it is mechanically deboned fish flesh that has been washed with water and blended with cryoprotectants to ensure a good frozen shelf life. This intermediate product is used to manufacture a variety of surimi seafoods, from the traditional kamaboko products of Japan to the shellfish substitutes now popular in Western countries. Prior to the development of stabilized surimi as we know it today, washed fish mince was made and used within a few days as a refrigerated raw material because freezing induced protein denaturation and poor functionality of the muscle proteins.