Crab sticks what is in them and were are they made

Im sure its not crab

surimi

Surimi is "crab flavoured" hoki paste.

"During the manufacture of surimi, various processing ingredients are added. Cryoprotectant materials such as sugar and sorbitol are added prior to freezing to prevent the degradation of the gel-forming properties of surimi. These ingredients also have an impact on the taste of the final product and help extend its shelf life. While surimi gels provide structure, other ingredients are needed to help stabilize and modify its texture. One important ingredient is starch. It improves the texture and stabilizes the gel matrix. This is particularly important for the stability of the product when it is frozen. The amount of starch is usually about 6% of the recipe. Egg white is also added to the surimi to improve the gel structure. It has the ability to increase the gel strength and improve its appearance by making the surimi more glossy and whiter. Vegetable oil is also been used to improve the appearance of surimi and modify its texture. Flavoring is added to surimi to make it taste like crab meat. These flavorants can be natural or artificial, but typically a mixture of both is used. Natural flavoring compounds include amino acids, proteins, and organic acids, which are obtained through aqueous extraction of edible crabs. Artificial flavors can be made to closely match crab meat flavor and are typically superior to naturally derived flavorants. Artificial flavoring compounds include esters, ketones, amino acids, and other organic compounds. Additionally, seasonings and secondary flavorants are added to the meat to improve the overall flavor. Common ingredients include nucleotides, monosodium glutamate, vegetable proteins, and mirin. The coloring for imitation crab meat is typically made using water insoluble compounds like carmine, caramel, paprika, and annato extract. By combining these and other ingredients, various shades of red, orange, and pink can be obtained. Before using the colorants, they are mixed in a surimi paste. This allows them to be easily applied to the imitation crab meat bundles. "

For even more details:

http://www.gale-edit.com/products/volumes/crab_meat.htm

wow Thanks are they made in NZ I cant beleave it Thanks

What healthy little morsels they are!

Kingfisher, one of the more commonly available brands of surimi, is made in Thailand.

Wow, that sounds disgusting. I have never eaten them but certainly don't plan to now!

I quite like them and the bulk "crab" meat @ under$10 kg as a quick additive to the bottom of a bowl of Gnocchi or Pasta - no cooking required.

gosh, I thought it was floor sweepings like the fish fingers.

They might as well be.

It should say on the packet. they're just like surimi but stick shaped. Love surimi and nothing wrong with them

He he he, aren't they just!
A young tradesman I know had to do a job at a surimi factory in the Havelock region & was put off the stuff forever. He said there were huge vats of this disgusting grey, glue like stuff & it comes out white & red!
That has to be good for us ;O) . doesn't it!
Hellooo!

Have you ever made fish balls! The raw fish paste is a slight gray colour, but when you cook them, they turn white. The effect is even more dramatic with minced shrimps - the colour is more of an unappetising grey than minced fish, but when you cook it, it becomes pink and white.

TheJapanese who invented it have been eating it for yonks. I guess the trick is to look for ones with natural ingredients if you want to avoid artificial additives - like most foods these days, it pays to read the ingredients label.The rule of thumb - the fewer artificial additives - the higher the price.
What they dish up in the supermarket dellies( with no labels insight) are probably the most loaded with additives, fitting the Aussie supermarket chain model of selling the cheapest available product they can get away with, for the best maximum profit.

Maybe that's the answer .but I know the sight of those vats of grey gloop put him off surimi forever.