Detailed Explanation of the Imitation Crab Meat Processing Technology

Imitation crab meat is a convenience food made primarily from Alaska pollock (walleye pollock) with the taste of fresh sea crab. At present, the technology and equipment for imitation crab meat in Shandong Province were introduced from Japan. As an aquatic convenience food, imitation crab meat has broad prospects for development. At present, the product is mainly exported to Japan and the United States.

1. Process flow: frozen surimi -> thawing -> ingredient mixing -> chopping and grinding -> steaming and roasting -> strip rolling and shaping -> sterilization -> cooling -> vacuum packaging -> rapid low-temperature freezing -> boxing -> cold storage

2. Process operation procedures:

① Thawing, ingredient mixing and grinding of raw materials: Thaw the frozen surimi to a semi-frozen state and cut it into small pieces, mix with refined starch, crab flavor essence, refined salt and monosodium glutamate (MSG), add an appropriate amount of water, and repeatedly chop in a chopper. To lower the temperature of the raw materials, add an appropriate amount of crushed ice (deducting the amount of water used) and chop for 20 minutes, then transfer the surimi to a grinding machine and grind for about 30 minutes, during which an appropriate amount of crushed ice is added to keep the temperature of the surimi below 10°C.

② Steaming, roasting and strip rolling and shaping: Pump the ground paste-like surimi into the feed inlet of the steaming and roasting machine. The flowing paste-like surimi is spread flat on the stainless steel conveyor belt of the steaming and roasting machine. The surimi that comes out of the steaming and roasting machine is in the form of a thin film, white and delicate, neither burnt nor scorched. Through the strip-forming machine, the thin film is rolled into strips, and at the same time a red sauce flavor essence is applied to its surface, cut into small segments of about 10 cm in length, and placed into stainless steel trays.

③ Sterilization, cooling and vacuum packaging: Place the stainless steel trays containing the strip-shaped semi-finished segments on a clean rack, push them into a steaming cabinet and steam until cooked, for about 5 minutes at a temperature of 100°C, then quickly cool. Then put them into non-toxic plastic packaging bags, vacuum-seal them tightly. Send them into a rapid deep freezer for quick freezing, then box them and put them into the warehouse, and keep them refrigerated pending shipment.

3. Precautions:

① The surimi raw material is required to be highly fresh, rinsed to be white, free of impurities and off-odors, and stored under deep freezing.

② Every production operation step is required to be carried out at low temperature, and ice cubes must be added to the surimi in a timely manner to lower its temperature.

③ There must be very good workshop sanitation facilities and production operating conditions.