Living in the land of sushi, it might seem strange that I don't eat sushi that often. I doubt I make it out to sushi even once a month. Maybe once every other month.
Don't get me wrong, I love sushi, but generally speaking I don't eat cheap sushi. If I'm not interested in paying a lot of money for a meal, there are so many other good things to eat here in Japan. And generally speaking, cheap sushi isn't good.
The NY Times has a good article on the usage of carbon monoxide to preserve raw fish. This is why cheap sushi is just not worth your time and money.
The global seafood trade has expanded so much over the last decade that tuna, once a seasonal delicacy, is available year-round. But getting it to consumers while it still looks fresh is difficult. Tuna quickly turns an unappetizing brown (or chocolate, as it is called in the industry), whether it is fresh or conventionally frozen and thawed.Carbon monoxide, a gas that is also a component of wood smoke, prevents the flesh from discoloring. It can even turn chocolate tuna red, according to some who have seen the process.
People in the seafood industry estimate that 25 million pounds of treated tuna, about 30 percent of total tuna imports, were brought into the United States last year, mostly from processors in Southeast Asia. Retailers in the United States buy it already treated.
The Food and Drug Administration says the process is harmless. But Japan, Canada and the countries of the European Union have banned the practice because of fears that it could be used to mask spoiled fish.
Now I'm less and less inclined to eat sushi in the US, knowing that most places are serving Southeast Asian carbon-monoxide treated tuna, not the good stuff that we see coming out of Tsukiji Market in Tokyo.
Americans are being exposed to raw fish that is unworthy of Japan and the EU. People will get sick and blame sushi itself, not cheap producers who cut corners and use carbon-monoxide hide bad colored fish. It's a lose-lose for all involved except the fish retailers.
Tuna's Red Glare? It Could Be Carbon Monoxide [GoUpstate.com]
Heh - I lived in Tokyo for 3 years (1982 to 1985) and only had sushi for the first time the day before I left...
Japan, Canada and the EU also have much larger fishing industries that they need to protect from lower cost producers.
And who likes bright red toro anyway. mmmm...fatty tuna.
I lived in Toyama Prefecture for about 6 years, and they had a kind of tuna that the locals call "sasu" (very similar to what they call "kajiki maguro" in other parts of Japan, but not exactly the same, I believe...)
Anyway, anyone who has seen kajiki maguro knows that it's a light pink color, and it is some of the best sashimi I've ever had... I used to eat the stuff 3-4 times/week. (I probably gained 2-3 kilos just from mercury intake... :) )
> And generally speaking, cheap sushi isn't good.
Relative to what? Relative to nigiri sushi in California almost all cheap kaiten sushi in Japan is better than almost anything I've had in SF or LA except maybe Nozawa's in LA.
Also, having gone to several more expensive sushi places in Japan (although I don't know what your definition of expensive is), I can say that I was disappointed about 3 of 4 times. By that I mean the sushi I ate at the expensive place tasted no better or worse than the cheap places 3 of 4 times. Of course when it actually was better it was REALLY BETTER but given the poor hit vs miss ratio I still do cheap sushi.
Note that I'm talking about nigiri sushi. The kind with a piece of something pressed on top of the rice. If we are talking California style rolls then it's a different story. ;-)
Here in Korea, you choose the fish while it's swimming desultorily around in the tank (no doubt riddled with parasites, but oh well) and they whack it and chop it roughly right in front you, so you can... well, I don't know why, really. But it sure is tasty.
And it's definitely fresh, you can be sure.
Also definitely fresh are the still-wriggling octopus pieces that flail about in your mouth as you chew 'em, and make one last desperate attempt at self-preservation as you swallow 'em down, clawing at your uvula like it's a lifeline.
Mmmmmm. Tastes like...cruelty.
I don't eat any raw fish then, so far I am safe;) never heard about carbon-monoxide though, could be true. besides carbon-monoxide, I don't eat fish so much anyway because I am kinda worried if fishes having mercury or something.
As shown in the past on Japanese TV news undercover-cam reports, many fish markets in Japan splash their fish on sale with "fresheners" which vary from red dye No. 5 to formaldehyde. Next time you're in a fish market, watch for the fishmongers slashing their fish gloves on (a dead givaaway something nasty is in the water).
As shown in the past on Japanese TV news undercover-cam reports, many fish markets in Japan splash their fish on sale with "fresheners" which vary from red dye No. 5 to formaldehyde. Next time you're in a fish market, watch for the fishmongers slashing their fish with gloves on (a dead givaaway something nasty is in the water).
here in California, sushi is typicall made by spanish speaking gentlemen that can't find japan on a world atlas!
You don't really want me to get into all the other things you shouldn't be eating either do you? ;)
I'm glad that people would be upset about eating something like the cheap sushi that is treated for transport around the globe simply so it can be consumed out of season, and out of it's natural range. There are many more foods that we eat every day that go through similar or worse processes. But I won't bore you with the details unless you ask me for some shopping advice. ;)