The result is "Let me sleep" Aged fish close at 17:39 on January 20

Many people think of aged food as miso, soy sauce, cheese or wine. Following the aged meat boom, aged fish has recently attracted attention. Aging fish, whose freshness tends to be alive, was a difficult task, and was rather a gem that could be eaten at a high-end sushi restaurant with skilled craftsmen. Scientific analysis of the aged fish has begun to make it easier to enjoy at home. (Osaka Broadcasting Station reporter Akira Ota)

"Soggy texture"

I searched for a restaurant where you could eat "aged fish" and visited a sushi restaurant facing a narrow alley in the Fukushima area of ​​Kita, Osaka, where gourmets from Osaka gather. A simple entrance that you would pass by if you didn't know. As you climb the stairs, you will see a counter with only six seats facing the craftsman. It is a popular restaurant that has earned a reputation on SNS, and has a constant reservation from afar.

A number of aged sushi, such as Thailand and natural tuna taken off Awaji Island, which are delivered from the general. All are matured in the shop based on the rich experience and the method according to the type of fish. On the day of the interview, the male and female customers, who were finally able to make an appointment for the fourth challenge, drank their sushi while drinking wine. Regarding the mature fish, the two were very satisfied, saying, "The taste was rich and the taste was rich."

Actually difficult mature fish

Aged fish produced by sushi craftsmen is said to have a high level of difficulty, as proper processing and preparation according to the type of fish are key. The part that has matured too much is discarded because it tastes worse, and the price tends to be higher because the purchased fish cannot be used effectively.

Analyzing craftsmanship with science

I heard that there was a fishery processing company working to make aged fish easily enjoyable at home, so I headed to Shingu, Wakayama Prefecture.

Seafood processing company "Shokuen" is a venture company from Kinki University. Established in 2013, we process fish, such as Thailand and yellowtail, purchased from aquaculture companies into cuts and ship them domestically and overseas. With the technical support of Kinki University, this company has been working on marine products processing that focuses on taste and freshness how to increase the added value of marine products. And it is the mature fish that I put my eyes on. We thought that if we could create an efficient production method using the power of science, it would be a taste that could be enjoyed at home, and we would have more customers.

First from Thailand

The company first focused on Thailand. Thailand, which has a lot of muscle, is characterized by a light taste, and I thought it would be easy to see the difference if you brought out the umami.

What is the aging mechanism?

One of the most important points of this company is to keep the ingredients called "ATP" for a long time. It is known that "ATP" changes to "inosinic acid" when it matures, and the taste increases.

The point is to attach to low water temperature

We thought that it was important not to reduce "ATP" as much as possible until the stage of ripening to bring out the taste. Because "ATP" is consumed remarkably by violent movements, it is difficult to extract umami if the fish goes wild by landing.

I thought about immersing live fish in low-temperature water. Fish arrived at this technique, as fish enter the water at a temperature lower than their body temperature and move. Other processes such as "squeezing" and "bleeding" are speeded up by repeatedly devising other processes. It took less than an hour from landing to filling.

Determining size and temperature

Researches the aging process. We found that fish size and body temperature were important for stable aging. The smaller the fish, the faster it matures, and the bigger the fish, the longer it takes to mature. In addition, aging takes longer when the body temperature is low. Therefore, we decided to change the temperature of the refrigerator to be aged and the aging period depending on the size and body temperature.

The details were not given because of trade secrets, but even without the skill of a craftsman, it is possible to ripen it stably simply by checking the size and body temperature.

Increase yield and lower prices

In aging, we decided to pack the fillets one by one and then put them in the refrigerator. This has led to a reduction in the growth of bacteria and assured safety, as well as an increase in productivity. In order to achieve an affordable price, we have devised so that mature fillets can be shipped as they are.

When I try it

Thailand aged in this way. I tried it too. The texture is softer than in Thailand before aging. It tasted like "dashi" that I had never felt when eating Thai. In addition, the more you bite, the stronger the taste of this “dashi” comes out, and gradually feels sweet. I could clearly feel the difference due to the increase in the umami component.

For more familiar ingredients

The company started selling aged Thailand last November. The company's website sells about 200-250 grams of fillets for 2500 yen including shipping. In the future, we hope to expand sales channels to supermarkets and other stores so that consumers can purchase at even lower prices.

Currently, we are conducting research on ripening in yellowtail. Based on the technology of aged Thailand, we are trying to spread more easily aged fish. Aged fish that required high technology and was a premium ingredient. With the power of science, the day you normally go to the table may be near.

Osaka Broadcasting Station Akira Ota Joined in 2012 After working at Kobe Station, Kansai Gourmet in charge of economics at Osaka Station also "covered"