Alaska pollock – Nutritional Value, Health Benefits, Recipes

Alaska pollock or walleye pollock is a marine fish species of the cod family Gadidae. Alaska pollock is a semi pelagic schooling fish widely distributed in the North Pacific with the largest concentrations found in the eastern Bering Sea. Alaska pollock was long put in its own genus Theragra, but more recent research has shown it is rather closely related to the Atlantic cod and should be moved back to genus Gadus in which it was originally described. Furthermore, Norwegian pollock, a rare fish of Norwegian waters, is likely the same species as the Alaska pollock. Alaska Pollock has consistently been one of the top five seafood species consumed in the U.S.

Alaska pollock is one of the most abundant and versatile fish in the world. It can grow as large as 3 feet (91 cm), but will typically average from 12 to 20 inches (31 to 51 cm) in length and from 1 to 3.5 pounds (0.45 to 1.6 kg) in weight. Alaska pollock has a mild taste with somewhat higher oil content than other whitefish species. It is one of the most efficient sources of protein, as its low in calories, carbohydrates, and fat.

Alaska Pollock is a mild-flavored white fish with a delicate and flaky texture. Because of its adaptability, Pollock is consumed in a variety of forms that include fresh and frozen fillets, fish sticks and other breaded and battered fish products, and “surimi” products. Surimi is a stable frozen intermediate ingredient that is used to produce traditional Japanese “kamaboko” products that are formulated to imitate crab, shrimp, and scallop meat. These products are commonly marketed in the U.S. as imitation crab, shrimp or lobster and are often the “seafood” in seafood salads, stuffed entrees, and other products. Surimi is produced by mincing and washing Alaskan Pollock fillets and then adding other ingredients to stabilize the protein in the fish and enable it to be frozen for extended periods of time. Alaska Pollock fillets or mince is also frozen into blocks and used to produce fish sticks and portions that are sold in retail stores and used in a variety of products in fast food and other restaurants. Frozen and fresh fillets are also becoming more available in some markets.

How to Eat

• Alaska pollock is commonly used in the fast-food industry, in products such as McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish sandwich and Fish McBites, Arby’s Classic Fish sandwich, Long John Silver’s Baja Fish Taco, and Birds Eye’s Fish Fingers in Crispy Batter.
• Alaska Pollock can be steam, grill or bake, and top your fish with fresh fruit salsas.
• It is perfect for breading – battering – baking – sautéing – or smoking.
• Try it in dips, chowders, wraps, tacos, sliders, quesadillas, salads, fish cakes, Po’Boys, and fish & chips.

Other Facts

• Alaska pollock has a milder taste, whiter color, and lower oil content.
• Pollock are mid-water schooling fish that can live up to 15 years.
• All Pollock is wild-caught in the ocean. There is no commercial aquaculture for this species.
• They are a comparatively fast-growing and short-lived species.
• Alaska pollock has well-developed drumming muscles that the fish used to produce sounds during courtship, like many other gadids.
• Female pollock can produce more than 2 million eggs over the course of several weeks.
• Adult pollocks are “cannibalistic”; they sometimes consume smaller pollocks.
• Like most other groundfish species, pollock are aged by counting annual growth rings that occur on otoliths (ear bones), similar to counting growth rings occurring in trees.

Cooking and Handling

Store pollock fillets for up to 1 day refrigerated on ice. Keep in mind that due to higher oil content, pollock has a shorter shelf life.

While this versatile whitefish is normally used in surimi and fried-fillet sandwiches, it can hold its own in gourmet preparations. If a white fillet is desired, your odds are much better with single-frozen vs. twice-frozen Pollock, which is often grayer. Deep-skinned (fat line removed) Pollock offers a whiter, more “cod-like” portion.

Alaska pollock is high in protein and low in carbohydrates and fat.

Try pollock dishes with flavors such as bell pepper, butter, cilantro, coriander seed, cumin, garlic, jalapeno, lemon, lime, onion, scallion, shallot, sour cream, tarragon, tequila, tomatillo, tomato.

Precautions 

• The consumption of sea fish if one is trying to reduce inflammatory diseases such as heart disease.
• Farmed ones contain arsenic that leads to arsenic poisoning.
• Seafood should be cooked safely in order to prevent foodborne illness.
• Pregnant women, young children, older adults, people having lower stomach acid and compromised immune systems (HIV/AIDS, liver disease, cancer, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, people taking steroids, chemotherapy, or immune system) are prone to higher risk.
• It might be contaminated with bacteria such as Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio vulnificus, and other bacteria relate to land use, sewage discharges, runoff, etc. These microorganisms occur naturally in warm coastal waters which could cause even death or serious illness in individuals who are at higher risk.
• Listeria monocytogenes could cause a serious foodborne illness known as listeriosis.
• The virus Hepatitis A could survive in light cooking. So one should consume it after being properly cooked.
• Fish could have toxins that could cause illness such as ciguatoxin and scombrotoxin, or histamine poisoning.
• Sea fish is related to Scombrotoxin (histamine) which develops when fish is not kept cold enough. The symptoms develop quickly and also disappear completely within 24 hours.
• The flesh of tropical marine fishes might cause ciguatera poisoning experiencing gastrointestinal maladies that could last for several days, weakness in arms and legs, and reversal inability to differentiate between cold and hot. The symptoms could persist for weeks.
• Farmed seafood results in to increase in inflammation leading to weight gain, arthritis, and heart diseases.
• The imbalance ratio of Omega-6 and Omega-3 causes heart disease and hypertension.
• Seafood and fish in farms have polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organophosphorus (OPs), organochlorine (OC), trifluralin pesticides, and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) causing diseases or even death.
• The seafood has a high content of mercury, which may lead to mercury toxicity.
• Consume it in moderate amounts. So consume it with caution or Avoid consuming it raw.
• Some people might get allergic reactions. So avoid it.
• It has a high chance of contamination.
• One should limit its intake.
• Consult the doctor by pregnant women and children before consuming it. Children and pregnant women should avoid it because the high content of mercury might cause a negative impact on the development of the nervous system of a fetus.
• Seafood or fish have purines in it which is harmful to people having purine-related problems. Excess purines result in an excess buildup of uric acid that could lead to the formation of kidney stones as well as gout.

References

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