The truth about squid ink made of plastic, burns like rubber
Information about fake dried squid made from rubber mixed and sold on the market has made consumers confused and worried.
» 'Technology for making' dried sea squid Quynh
Accordingly, Mr. Nguyen Hoang Minh (Ha Dong, Hanoi) indignantly said that in May 2017, when traveling in Thanh Hoa, he bought about 3kg of dried squid for 200,000 VND from a roadside shop as a gift. However, when observing closely, this type of squid has a strange shape, a thin body, the meat is transparent like plastic while the tail is easy to peel off because it is attached with glue.
When he grilled the squid, it had no aroma but a fishy, bitter taste and was very tough. Suspecting that the squid was fake, Minh threw away all of it. “At first glance, this type of squid doesn’t look much different from natural squid, but upon closer inspection, there are many strange points, especially the taste is not as sweet and fragrant as usual. The head and tentacles of the squid are glued together, when soaked in water, they turn pale and when torn, they stretch and are elastic like rubber,” Minh said.
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| On many forums, information about fake ink suspected to be made from rubber makes many people confused and worried. |
Similarly, Ms. Hai (Dinh Cong, Hanoi) also reported that once when she went to the market, she chose to buy pre-shredded squid and saw many strange signs. The squid had a fragrant smell but many pieces were unusually long, especially when stretched by hand, these pieces of squid had the elasticity of a rubber band.
Looking closely, the shredded squid pieces do not have veins between the spines like regular squid, and when burned, the squid smells like burnt plastic. Based on her experience, Ms. Hai believes that this is fake squid that has been mixed in and sold to consumers. "I bought it but did not dare to eat it and threw it away. This is the first time I have ever bought fake, poor quality squid like this," Ms. Hai said.
Previously, information about the suspected fake dried squid also caused a stir and confusion for consumers. In many forums, many people even passed around articles sharing experiences on how to distinguish fake dried squid from real squid.
However, in an interview with Dan Tri reporter, Associate Professor - Dr. Nguyen Duy Thinh (Institute of Biotechnology and Food, Hanoi University of Science and Technology) affirmed that currently there is no scientific basis to confirm the appearance of fake ink made from rubber being sold on the market.
“If we only base on sensory descriptions such as the squid has a strange shape, burns with a strong smell or stretches like rubber, then we are not convinced that this is fake squid. I affirm that there is no such thing as fake squid because the technology to produce squid that is exactly like the real thing from taste to shape is many times more expensive than natural squid,” said Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Duy Thinh.
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The white cuttlefish (left) looks eye-catching after shedding its black silk layer (the one on the right). Photo: Doan Cong |
Explaining the phenomenon of elasticity and strange shape of squid, this expert said that this type of squid may be of poor quality when processed, so the seller must use chemicals to process it and preserve it for a long time. Therefore, when eaten, the squid is not sweet but has a fishy taste, tougher than usual, and any type of squid when burned too much will have a burnt taste, especially when the squid body has green and red mold spots.
Mr. Nguyen Tu Cuong (Former Director of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Quality Management - Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) also affirmed that it is impossible for whole dried squid to be faked with plastic or rubber as rumored recently.
With many years of experience in the seafood industry, Mr. Cuong said that some types of squid suspected of being fake are actually called snake squid or ghost squid. This type of squid, when dried, is black, bitter, difficult to chew and not as sweet as regular squid, so people often suspect it is fake squid. Compared to other types of squid, snake squid is quite cheap, only 1/3 or even 1/5 of the price of other types of squid.
That is why in the past few people caught this type of squid and mainly used it as animal feed. Nowadays, for profit, some establishments also use chemicals to bleach the squid tentacles and peel off the dark black skin to make it look like dried squid.
“I have never encountered a case of fake ink made from rubber. Many people have brought samples of ink suspected of being fake to me, but these are just poor quality ink that has not been preserved well, leading to the shape and flavor not being as delicious as usual,” said Mr. Cuong.
This expert also said that fresh and delicious dried squid is the type of squid that has a natural light pink color, does not stick to the hands and has a characteristic aroma of squid. In particular, there are no green or red mold spots on the squid body.
“When buying squid, there are a few things to note. If we feel that the squid is not dry enough, we should dry it in the sun. Then, wrap the squid in newspaper, put it in a plastic bag and store it in the freezer. It is best to use dried squid within about 2 months after purchase to preserve its delicious flavor.”
Mr. Cuong also recommends that consumers should choose reputable establishments with clear origins to avoid buying poor quality products that are not safe for health.
According to Dantri
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