Dear all
Extract from the Introduction in the 'Onboard handling of sashimi-grade tuna' manual - Secretariat of the Pacific Community, 2005 :
« Sashimi is a traditional Japanese dish made from thin slices of premium quality raw fish. The most popular sashimi fish are the red meat species, particularly tunas and skipjacks. 'Sashimi' in fact means much more than just 'raw fish'; the term implies specific requirements regarding freshness, appearance, presentation, texture and taste »
The above is not an 'official' definition but I guess it describes well what 'sashimi' is i.e. a traditional Japanese dish.
Regards
Michel Blanc
Fisheries Development and Training Adviser
Secretariat of the Pacific Community
________________________________
De : owner-seafood@ucdavis.edu [mailto:owner-seafood@ucdavis.edu] De la part de Robert Greer
Envoyé : lundi 18 septembre 2006 14:52
À : 'Janani Tulasendrapuram'; seafood@ucdavis.edu
Objet : RE: sashimi question
Interestingly, I've spent a not inconsiderable amount of time in the past month or two trying to find out the answer to this exact same question. I have come up with several different answers, so I think the "official" definition depends on whom you're talking to.
Initially, I researched this question on the website of the United States FDA. There are some regs and guidance about qualifying certain types of fish as sashimi grade, but as best I could tell, they relate only to fresh water species which have different and more potential biological hazards than salt water specices. If memory serves, these regs require freezing the fish below specified temperatures for specified periods of time in order to insure that product that will be eaten uncooked is sanitary.
Secondly, I inquired of my sister-in-law, who is a salesman for a fresh fish distributor which sells to premium restaurants. Her response was that sashimi refers to the very highest quality fish: "the best of the best."
Lastly, I met only the other day with a supplier of seafood (wild caught ocean fish) in Vietnam. This company labels as "sashimi" grade, fish that once caught is immediately frozen on board at or below minus 55 degrees Celsius and kept at such low temperatures continuously.
It's my suspicion that the second and third definitions are essentially equivalent, though on their face, they seem to describe different things.
If I learn any more about this, I'll let you know.
Sincerely,
Robert Greer
Robert Greer
Rushmar Trading Company LLC
Tel (US): 1-713-350-6025
Mobile (US): 1-713-594-4996
Mobile (VN): 84-(0)90-966-7379
EFax: 1-713-583-9667
email: greer@RushmarTrading.com
________________________________
From: owner-seafood@ucdavis.edu [mailto:owner-seafood@ucdavis.edu] On Behalf Of Janani Tulasendrapuram
Sent: Friday, September 15, 2006 10:17 PM
To: seafood@ucdavis.edu
Subject: sashimi question
Hi,
Good morning! I am hoping someone on this listserv will be able to answer the following question:
-Is there an "official" definition of sashimi grade (mainly for tuna)?
Thanks,
Janani Tulasendrapuram
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