Those Chinese frozen scallops in Makro..............safe?

[jaideeguy]

With the prices of local shrimp skyrocketing I've been experimenting with alternatives and took a chance on these IQF scallops from Makro and when I read the label, it said country of origin, China.

They look so clean and taste so sweet, but am I playing Russian roulette by eating them?? They are packaged by an international firm that says that they are hygienic and inspected. Price around 300thb/kilo, depending on size is much cheaper than shrimp.

Mods, maybe this is not the appropriate forum for this, but I didn't know what other forum would be best. Maybe you could let it float in the general forum before you move it.........thanks in advance.

[YipYipYa123]

if its chinese the chances are high its being farmed with chemical ingredients

[impulse]

I wouldn't worry about safety, any more than farmed seafood from the rancid waters anywhere in Asia- Thailand included.

By my recollection, what's sold as "scallops" are actually punched out of the wings of rays and skates, and I don't know if they're farmed anywhere. Good chance they're actually caught at sea.

But I gave up on IQF products when I lived in China because they were absolute masters at pumping up the weight.

500 grams of (very nice looking) IQF shrimp cooked down to less than 100 grams of popcorn shrimp. When I did the math, it was much cheaper to pay the price for the fresh stuff in the seafood counter- when it was available.

Please post back with your impressions after you try them. I love scallops ray wings.

Edited May 18, 2014 by impulse

[Tchooptip]

Russian roulette could be sometimes the way Thais looked after they deep freeze food.

How many times have I seen in Macro as well in Tesco a pack completely soft so partially defrost.

In Tesco Lamai a lid of a freezer, probably broken, is missing for weeks, it seems nobody cares? So dozen of product are not at a proper temperature

[marko kok prong]

Russian roulette could be sometimes the way Thais looked after they deep freeze food.

How many times have I seen in Macro as well in Tesco a pack completely soft so partially defrost.

In Tesco Lamai a lid of a freezer, probably broken, is missing for weeks, it seems nobody cares? So dozen of product are not at a proper temperature

An interesting point,i wonder what happens in power cuts,would these stores have backup generators?

[Jip99]

Russian roulette could be sometimes the way Thais looked after they deep freeze food.

How many times have I seen in Macro as well in Tesco a pack completely soft so partially defrost.

In Tesco Lamai a lid of a freezer, probably broken, is missing for weeks, it seems nobody cares? So dozen of product are not at a proper temperature

.. and yet it is only somtan that is guaranteed to give me the sh!ts trots !

... perhaps sometimes we can be too fussy ?

[Tchooptip]

Not sure every one understood what you meant by scallops ? (an edible bivalve mollusk with a ribbed fan-shaped shell.)

Yes they are ( rather) good, I bought some in Macro, I love scallops, I defrost them first, then in a pan in butter with garlic and parsley finely chopped, high temperature is important to give them a nice color the quickest way possible.

If two or three sizes available I choose the biggest, for it reduces a lot.

Only in olive oil with a lemon juice OK too.

But could be cooked in casserole with bechamel sauce and mushrooms for instance.

Or in tomato sauce with herbs

A bit small for raw in Carpaccio but could. In very thin slices, raw, a few hours in the fridge in olive oil and plenty of finely chopped dill.

[weegee]

I wouldn't worry about safety, any more than farmed seafood from the rancid waters anywhere in Asia- Thailand included.

By my recollection, what's sold as "scallops" are actually punched out of the wings of rays and skates, and I don't know if they're farmed anywhere. Good chance they're actually caught at sea.

But I gave up on IQF products when I lived in China because they were absolute masters at pumping up the weight.

500 grams of (very nice looking) IQF shrimp cooked down to less than 100 grams of popcorn shrimp. When I did the math, it was much cheaper to pay the price for the fresh stuff in the seafood counter- when it was available.

Please post back with your impressions after you try them. I love scallops ray wings.

Correct Impulse, I agree with your post whole heartedly....thats why they look so clean and fresh....Small shark flesh is a favourite to use for a Scallop lookalike.

If you eat a genuine Scallop, and it's gone off....you definitely would know the difference between a punch out and a Scallop..

[Tchooptip]

Russian roulette could be sometimes the way Thais looked after they deep freeze food.

How many times have I seen in Macro as well in Tesco a pack completely soft so partially defrost.

In Tesco Lamai a lid of a freezer, probably broken, is missing for weeks, it seems nobody cares? So dozen of product are not at a proper temperature

An interesting point,i wonder what happens in power cuts,would these stores have backup generators?

100%sure they have some!

[attrayant]

By my recollection, what's sold as "scallops" are actually punched out of the wings of rays and skates, and I don't know if they're farmed anywhere.

I can't believe that anyone would be fooled by ray meat - which is tough and has the wrong direction of grain. Stories of species adulteration are common, but

the FDA has never found this happening to scallops.

One thing consumers don't need to worry about is scallops. Tales of skate wings cut into circles and sold as scallops are common. But Spring Randolph, a consumer safety officer at the FDA and an expert on species adulteration, says the FDA has never found an actual case of it.

[JesseFrank]

Russian roulette could be sometimes the way Thais looked after they deep freeze food.

How many times have I seen in Macro as well in Tesco a pack completely soft so partially defrost.

In Tesco Lamai a lid of a freezer, probably broken, is missing for weeks, it seems nobody cares? So dozen of product are not at a proper temperature

An interesting point,i wonder what happens in power cuts,would these stores have backup generators?

100%sure they have some!

But they are of not much use when the frozen goods are standing between the freezers, isn't it

[salavan]

nothing from china is safe

[thaicookingchef]

nothing from china is safe

nothing that we eat is safe

[JesseFrank]

nothing from china is safe

nothing that we eat is safe

Maybe we should stop eating then.

[meatboy]

Russian roulette could be sometimes the way Thais looked after they deep freeze food.

How many times have I seen in Macro as well in Tesco a pack completely soft so partially defrost.

In Tesco Lamai a lid of a freezer, probably broken, is missing for weeks, it seems nobody cares? So dozen of product are not at a proper temperature

An interesting point,i wonder what happens in power cuts,would these stores have backup generators?

most of all food that is sold in thai supermakets as fresh comes in frozen,just have a look at the trays on the counters.

only last week the wife went to Tesco for chicken,none in the tray but she was given a half defrosted 2kilo pack from the store room,and as for the freezers being turned off overnight,just go early and buy some ice cream[soft scoop].