[Bincheng City Creation in Progress] Food Companion | Consumer Tips on Abalone and Its Products

Abalone is soft and smooth, with a rich and delicious taste, and is deeply loved by consumers. In order to help consumers scientifically choose and eat abalone and its products, the following consumption tips are specially made.

What is abalone and its products?

Abalone belongs to the class Gastropoda of the phylum Mollusca. The main edible part is the gastropod muscle of the abalone, which is rich in protein and low in fat and cholesterol. In addition to fresh abalone, there are also abalone products such as live frozen abalone, frozen boiled abalone, dried abalone and ready-to-eat abalone on the market.

Live frozen abalone is made by washing fresh abalone and then directly quick freezing it. Frozen boiled abalone is usually made by washing, shelling, removing the viscera and teeth of fresh abalone, then blanching and quick freezing it at low temperature. Dried abalone is made from fresh abalone, live frozen abalone or frozen boiled abalone, and is processed through processes such as shelling, removing the internal organs, removing the teeth, removing the black film, washing, salting or not salting, boiling, drying, and shaping. Ready-to-eat abalone is divided into a variety of product forms such as canned abalone and frozen ready-to-eat abalone. Canned abalone generally uses dried abalone as the raw material, which is stewed at low temperature for a long time and then sterilized at high temperature, and can be stored at room temperature; frozen ready-to-eat abalone is made from fresh or live frozen abalone after shelling, washing, removing the viscera and black film, and then low-temperature maturation and flavoring, which effectively retains the fresh and tender taste of fresh abalone.

Reasonable purchase

01Fresh Abalone

The main consideration is freshness. You should choose abalones with complete shells (a small amount of damage on the edges is acceptable), clean and free of dirt, natural color, obvious growth lines, light yellow or brown ventral muscles, elastic and strong adsorption capacity, gelatinous mucus on the surface, and no spots. If the ventral muscles of the abalone are white, there is no reaction after touching, and it smells fishy, ​​it means that the abalone is not energetic enough and fresh enough, so it is not recommended to buy it.

02Abalone products

Check the product labels and logos. Check whether the packaging is complete, whether the label contains the product name, manufacturer, production date, shelf life, storage conditions, and clear origin and variety identification information. Do not buy abalone products with incomplete product information. In addition, choose dried abalone with a complete shape, uniform size, dry and non-slippery surface, usually light yellow or light yellow-brown. High-quality dried abalone is usually translucent and shiny. As the storage time increases, the color of the dried abalone will change to a certain extent, which is a normal phenomenon. Choose abalone with a hard texture and not soft. If the texture is too soft or has an odor, it is not recommended to buy it.

Scientific consumption

Fresh abalone should be eaten as soon as possible after purchase, and frozen storage is not recommended. Before consumption, it is necessary to remove the shell, remove the dirt, and wash it. The abalone meat can be added to the prepared seasoning liquid for steaming, or it can be cooked with other ingredients as needed. Depending on the size of the abalone, the steaming time can be controlled at 2 to 5 minutes, and the time should not be too long to avoid affecting the taste. Live frozen abalone and frozen boiled abalone should be frozen for storage, and the method of consumption is basically the same as that of fresh abalone. It is necessary to check the product consumption instructions and pay attention to the steaming time. Ready-to-eat abalone should be stored according to the conditions marked on the label. Canned abalone can be eaten immediately after opening the can, and frozen ready-to-eat abalone needs to be thawed before eating. Both can also be cooked and eaten as needed.

Dried abalone should be stored in a cool, dry, dark place. It is better to refrigerate it in a sealed refrigerator. It needs to be soaked before eating. When soaking, take the dried abalone and place it in a clean container, add enough pure water, and soak it in a refrigerated environment at 4℃ for 24 to 48 hours. Change the water every 24 hours until the abalone becomes soft and has no hard core. Dried abalone needs to be heated for a long time to have a soft and glutinous taste. In order to shorten the time, a pressure cooker can be used. The abalone after high-pressure treatment can be directly cooked in broth, or sliced ​​and dipped in seasoning, or steamed with garlic vermicelli, or braised.

It should be noted that consumers who are allergic to abalone and other shellfish should not consume it.

Expert Writers:

Dong Xiuping, Vice President and Professor of Institute of Food Interdisciplinary Sciences, Dalian University of Technology

Mao Xiangchao, Vice Dean and Professor of the School of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China

Huang Hongbing, Researcher at Jiangsu Freshwater Fisheries Research Institute

Zhang Jianbo Director of Standards Office 3, National Food Safety Risk Assessment Center

Jiang Xiaoming Lecturer and PhD, School of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China