Crabsticks have been a favorite seafood snack for decades, but once people learned how they are made, the reaction was pure disgust. A viral video exposed the real process behind these imitation crab delights, and it has caused many to swear off them forever. If you’ve ever enjoyed crabsticks, this might make you think twice before reaching for another pack.
People often enjoy delicious foods without wanting to know what goes on behind the scenes. There’s an old saying that everyone loves sausages but nobody wants to see how they are made. The reason is simple: the production process can look unpleasant. It usually involves grinding meat, mixing in additives, and shaping it into something that looks much better than it did a few minutes earlier. Despite that, people still enjoy sausages every weekend, ignoring how they really come to be.
The same story now applies to crabsticks. They may look like a tasty seafood treat, but their production has shocked the internet. The truth about how crabsticks are made has disturbed many viewers, and for good reason.
It all began when a viral YouTube video revealed the step-by-step process of how crabsticks are created.
The video took viewers inside the factory where these familiar orange and white sticks are produced. What appeared next left people speechless.
Behind the shiny packaging, the process starts with frozen fish meat, not crab meat, as the name suggests. The main fish used is usually Alaskan pollock, a species commonly caught in northern waters. The grey-colored fish meat is the base for what will later become imitation crab.
Once the frozen meat is defrosted, it is placed into a large industrial mixer. The machine mashes it into a soft, pale mass. At this stage, other ingredients like egg whites and wheat starch are added. These act as binding agents to give the mixture a smooth, moldable texture. The resulting material has a pasty consistency that looks more like clay than seafood.
This paste, known as surimi, is the foundation of crabsticks. Surimi has been used in Japanese cuisine for centuries, but the modern mass-produced version is far from traditional. In the video, the mixture appears as a thick, greyish foam: a sight that many viewers found disturbing.
After the paste is fully blended, it’s moved into another machine that shapes it into long, continuous strips. The machinery stretches and flattens the mixture into uniform sheets of fish paste. From there, the strips are rolled and pressed to imitate the layered texture of crab or lobster meat.
This process gives crabsticks their distinctive stringy texture when you pull them apart. The imitation meat is carefully shaped and then wrapped with an orange-colored coating, designed to resemble the outer shell of a real crab. The visual resemblance is convincing, but the ingredients tell a different story.
The finished crabsticks are cut into small pieces, packaged, and sent off to grocery stores and restaurants around the world. Consumers often assume they are eating real crab, but what they’re actually enjoying is a combination of fish, starch, and flavoring.
Once the video spread online, reactions flooded in. People were horrified to learn that crabsticks contain no crab at all. Some viewers commented that they would never eat them again after seeing how they are made. One shocked viewer wrote, “I will never purchase this ever again! Thank you for opening my eyes!”
Another person added, “I always thought this stuff was disgusting; now I know it is.” The footage confirmed what many already suspected: that imitation crab is far from a natural seafood product.
The texture, color, and taste are all created artificially through processing. To many, this was a betrayal of their expectations. For years, they had believed that crabsticks contained at least some real crab meat. Learning the truth made them feel deceived.
However, not everyone reacted with outrage. Some viewers admitted that they were not surprised by the revelation. They argued that most processed foods, including sausages and hot dogs, are made similarly. For them, the video simply confirmed what they already believed about the modern food industry.
Even so, the unsettling visuals of grey fish paste being transformed into shiny crabsticks stuck with people. Many described the production scenes as something they couldn’t “unsee.” The strange foam-like texture, the artificial coloring, and the machine processing made the entire experience feel mechanical and unnatural.
What shocked many people was not just the lack of real crab, but how convincingly the final product mimics the real thing. The color gradient from white to orange, the soft layered texture, and the mild seafood flavor all create the illusion of genuine crab meat.
Manufacturers use flavor enhancers to achieve this taste. These include fish extracts, sugar, salt, and sometimes MSG, which help the mixture mimic the sweetness and umami of real crab. Without these additives, crabsticks would taste bland and unappealing.
The reason crabsticks exist in the first place is cost. Real crab meat is expensive, difficult to harvest, and limited in supply. Using cheaper fish like Alaskan pollock allows companies to mass-produce an affordable alternative. It gives people the illusion of eating luxury seafood at a fraction of the price.
However, affordability often comes at the cost of authenticity. Crabsticks are a prime example of how the food industry transforms inexpensive raw materials into products that look and taste like something completely different. The viral video exposed just how far this transformation goes.
Despite the disgust it caused, the process of making crabsticks is not unsafe or unhygienic. The factories follow food safety standards, and the ingredients are generally approved for consumption. The problem is psychological; once people see what’s inside, the appeal disappears.
Crabsticks are used in countless dishes worldwide. They appear in sushi rolls, seafood salads, sandwiches, and pasta recipes. Their mild flavor and smooth texture make them easy to combine with other ingredients. Yet after learning what they’re made from, many former fans say they will never view them the same way again.
Social media amplified the shock. Users shared their reactions, memes, and disgusted comments. Some compared crabsticks to other processed foods they had sworn off after seeing how they were produced. Others said that even though the process looked unappetizing, it didn’t change their love for the product.
One viewer wrote, “I know how it’s made, but I still love crabsticks in my sushi. It’s not real crab, but it tastes good and that’s enough for me.” This balanced perspective reminded others that many favorite foods go through equally odd manufacturing steps before reaching the table.
Still, the unsettling visuals continue to haunt those who saw the video. The sight of grey foam transforming into bright orange seafood was enough to turn their stomachs. Even though crabsticks have been around for decades, seeing the reality behind them was new and shocking for many.
Crabsticks have always been marketed as a convenient seafood product, perfect for quick meals and salads. The label “crab-flavored sticks” was a clue, but few paid attention. The marketing made it easy to assume there was real crab inside. Now that the truth is out, the public perception of these snacks has changed.
For some, the discovery means they’ll never buy them again. For others, it’s just another example of how processed foods dominate supermarket shelves. In a world where convenience often outweighs quality, crabsticks remain a symbol of how far food production has evolved.
The viral video might have shocked people, but it also opened their eyes to the realities of the modern food industry. Every bite of a crabstick represents the balance between taste, cost, and convenience, and now, a reminder of what lies behind that bright orange shell.
So next time you reach for a pack of crabsticks, remember what you’re really eating. Whether you find it fascinating or disgusting, one thing is certain: the truth about crabsticks has changed the way people see this popular snack forever.
