ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the cultural biography of surimi, a highly processed fish food product, and illustrates some of the issues raised when fish is transformed from its natural state by industry. In Japan, where the term surimi originates, a wide array of surimi products are common, but in the United States and other countries where surimi products were introduced more recently, they are often seen as imitations and cheap substitutes for "real" seafood. Surimi is minced fish mixed with other substances to change its color, texture, and flavor. Surimi can be considered authentic seafood in Japan, where it has a historical connection to traditionally crafted kamaboko. While surimi was originally made from local fish in each part of Japan, as production increased to an industrial scale, the dominant ingredient became the Alaska Pollock. In some ways, the Alaska pollock has become the marine equivalent of corn, a product ubiquitous in the industrial diet but rarely eaten in its raw form.
