surimi

Surimi is a fish product made from inexpensive whitefish. It is processed to resemble more expensive seafood, such as crabmeat. The word "surimi" is Japanese for "chopped meat or fish".1

The production of surimi dates back centuries in Japan. It involves washing minced fish flesh, followed by heating, which causes the flesh to gel naturally. This gelled fish product, when combined with other ingredients and steamed, creates various fish cakes known as kamaboko. Modern surimi production is automated, involving heading, gutting, deboning, mincing, washing, pressing, and heating the fish flesh. The resulting surimi is then mixed with cryoprotectants and frozen for storage. These frozen blocks are used to create imitation crab, scallops, and shrimp.2