People have been left disturbed after finding out how crab sticks are made — and many are now vowing never to eat them again. Crab sticks are a favourite seafood treat, but loyal buyers have stumbled upon the startling truth behind their production, and it has all got a little fishy.
What many people do not realise is that crab sticks are actually a product known as “surimi” — a Japanese invention that dates back hundreds of years. Surimi is made by washing minced white fish repeatedly until only pure protein remains, before it is flavoured, coloured and shaped to resemble crab meat. While the modern Western version is far more processed than the original Japanese product, the method is still used worldwide as a low-cost seafood substitute.
A clip posted on Reddit goes into lengthy detail. The process usually begins with white fish such as Alaskan pollock being minced into a paste and washed multiple times to remove fat, odour and colour, leaving behind a sticky protein known as surimi. The mixture is then blended with starch, sugar, egg whites, salt, artificial crab flavouring and colouring agents. The paste is heated, shaped into sticks and layered with red dye on the outside to mimic the appearance of real crab meat. For many viewers, seeing the pale fish paste pumped through machines was enough to completely turn their stomachs.
Much of the backlash appears to stem from the belief that crab sticks contain real crab meat. In reality, many supermarket versions contain little to no crab at all, relying instead on flavouring and colouring to create the illusion. For some shoppers, the issue is not the ingredients themselves, but the feeling that the branding has misled them for years. Reactions online ranged from “Watching processed food being made really puts you off” to a simple “Grim.” — and for some, it is business as usual, while for others, it is the end of a once-loved snack. One thing should be said plainly: no one in the article is named, and the only source is an unnamed Reddit post — no subreddit, username or link is given — so the reactions are anonymous comments, not verified reports.
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