Crab sticks - composition

Crab sticks in many countries appeared on sale in the early 90's. The time was quite complicated, so a tasty and inexpensive product immediately fell in love with the hostesses. Crab sticks helped diversify the menu of festive tables, as they were added to various salads and snacks.

The appearance of crab sticks, we owe the Japanese, who tried to establish the production of crab meat. However, this turned out to be labor-consuming and economically unprofitable. It was much easier to make a variety of products from surimi - minced ocean white fish. When added to mince some flavorings and food additives it was possible to achieve a taste similar to that of crab meat.

Composition of crab sticks

The main ingredients of crab sticks are: surimi fish mince, starch, egg white, water, vegetable oil, salt and sugar . To improve the taste, various nutritional supplements are added. However, to make the product even cheaper, some manufacturers make crab sticks from soy protein.

When buying crab sticks, you need to carefully study the composition of the product. Minced surimi should be in the first place. In this case, you can be sure that the product contains fish.

The chemical composition of crab sticks makes the use of this product questionable for health. Of food additives most often used are:

1. E160 - food color. There are two types: synthetic and natural. Natural dye does not pose any threat to the body.
2. E171 - dye bleach. Vapors of this substance are toxic, but as an additive to foods it is not dangerous for the body. Although the research of this additive is still ongoing.
3. E420 - is used as a sweetener and water-retaining agent. The additive is safe in small doses, but when used in large quantities causes indigestion.
4. E450 - is intended to improve the structure and color of the product, increases shelf life. When consumed in large quantities causes indigestion and worsens the absorption of calcium.

Although these additives are approved for use in the food industry, their use does not have any benefit for the body. And the use of a large number of crab sticks with such a composition can lead to the development of diseases.

Nutritional value of crab sticks

Since the main component of crab sticks is fish meat, the product is saturated with an easily digestible protein. To understand how much protein in crab sticks helps the composition of the product. Most of the proteins are 17.5% of the weight of the product, fats - 2%, carbohydrates in crab sticks are absent. 70% of the product is water.

Crab sticks contain a small amount of minerals and vitamins: vitamin PP, zinc, chlorine, sulfur, chromium, fluorine, nickel, molybdenum. Such a small the amount of useful substances is due to the fact that they are washed out at the stage of primary processing of raw materials. In the future, the remaining useful substances are destroyed during heat treatment, which is designed to rid the product of pathogenic microorganisms.

However, such a composition of proteins, fats, carbohydrates in crab sticks is characteristic only of a product made from surimi . Therefore, to know exactly how many carbohydrates in crab sticks and other ingredients, you can by reading the composition on the package. For this reason, you should not buy crab sticks by weight. A better product is realized in packages, on which not only the composition, but also the date of manufacture, and the expiration date are indicated. It should be noted that the product must be hermetically packed in a multilayer film.