Sales data from 2019 to 2020 show that stinky food is "rising out of the army" in China, and individual stinky foods are even popular throughout the country, and their popularity remains high, and the representative food is snail powder.
Chinese seems to be gradually increasing their acceptance of smelly foods, but even so, most people will lose in front of canned herring. Canned herring "debuted" and "circled powder" with the smell, and the odor value could not be found at present, which can be called the "biochemical weapon" of the food industry, and the taste is even more impressive.
Internationally recognized as "the world's stinkiest food", canned herring is a popular traditional snack in Sweden, which is at its peak in August and is one of the must-have dishes for families. But in China, if you want to try to pay cans, you should be careful, because the Swedish government clearly stipulates that it is forbidden to open cans in a closed environment, otherwise the consequences are very serious!
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="88" > how smelly is canned herring? </h1>
The Japan Broadcasting Corporation once measured the world's top ten smelliest foods on a television program, and the smell value of canned herring was far ahead, ranking first.
The international unit that evaluates the strength of odor is the Alabaster Unit, or AU for short, and the higher the odor value, the stronger the odor. The Beijing stinky tofu we are familiar with has a stink value of only 420 AU, which is at the bottom of the list.
In fourth place is the Inuit pickled puffin kiviak with a stink value of 1370 AU, while New Zealand's canned stink stone cheese ranks third with a stink value of 1870 AU. In the second place, the pickled ray fillet from Korea won the second place with a strong ammonia smell, and the odor value was as high as 6230 AU.
Dominating the list is Sweden's canned herring, which has a staggering 8070 AU odor value, 200 times that of natto and nearly 20 times that of stinky tofu.
Canned herring is so smelly that many challengers start to gag as soon as they pick up a piece of fish, and there are not a few who abstain directly. Foreign netizens have given advice: when eating canned herring for the first time, wear a gas mask, wear protective clothing, and do not eat too much at one time, so as not to cause an overreaction in the stomach and intestines.
On the packaging box of canned herring, there are also relevant warning slogans:
Before opening the can, be sure to make sure that there is no one around to avoid adverse effects
It is forbidden to open cans in a closed room, make sure to open windows for ventilation or open them outdoors
Before opening the can, leave it in the refrigerator for a period of time to reduce the temperature and reduce the pressure in the tank
Do not shake vigorously and open the lid at room temperature, otherwise the juice from the can may be splashed around and difficult to handle
It can be seen that the power of canned herring can not be underestimated, and it is not nonsense to protect and psychologically prepare!
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="87" How is canned herring made in >? What is the source of the odor? </h1>
The raw material for canned herring is herring, one of the most important catches in the world, mainly in the North Pacific and North Atlantic. Strictly speaking, the herring used in Sweden to make canned herring is produced in the Baltic Sea north of the Kalmar Strait and is a subspecies of Atlantic herring. Every year from April to May, herring in the Baltic Sea begins to enter the spawning period, and large groups of fish gather and swim, which is the golden age of fishing under the net.
The Baltic Sea is an inland sea formed by the Atlantic Ocean extending into Europe, which runs through more than 250 freshwater rivers and is rich in fishery resources, making it an important traditional fishing ground in Northern Europe. Sweden covers almost the entire left bank of the Baltic Sea, with a coastline of 7624km, excellent harbors, numerous fishing boats, and strong offshore fishing capacity, so it can easily catch hundreds of tons of herring every year.
Sweden and the Baltic Sea
In order to prevent the rotting and deterioration of fresh herring, Swedish fishermen cook a part of the herring in high-temperature brine, and then put it into a sterilization container, naturally ferment for 1 to 2 months, and the room temperature is controlled between 15 and 20 ° C.
By mid-August, herring is marinated just right, viscous and juicy, and the canned food is inflated by the gas produced by fermentation, indicating that the herring has been pickled and has reached the marketing standard.
The gas in the tank is the product of anaerobic bacteria in the fermentation process, mainly including hydrogen sulfide, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid and other irritating gases, which is the source of odor. It should be noted that as the fermentation gas accumulates more and more, the pressure in the tank will continue to increase, at this time, the canned herring may burst due to improper operation, and the potential hidden dangers cannot be ignored.
In May 2006, major airlines in France, the Netherlands, Finland and the United Kingdom issued a statement prohibiting passengers from carrying canned herring on board. The reason given by the airport is not without reason: pressurized cans have the potential to explode. Not long after, Sweden's Stockholm International Airport officially stopped selling canned herring, prompting collective protests from canned distributors.
Another accident occurred in May 2014. A storage warehouse in Sweden was accidentally caught in a fire, and the high temperature caused the cans of herring in the warehouse to explode one after another, losing 1,000 cans in 6 hours, and the entire warehouse became a "gas chamber" in the blink of an eye. The accident caused quite a stir, and the storage and transportation of canned herring once again aroused heated discussion.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="76" > canned herring so smelly, why should Sweden produce it? </h1>
Canned herring is internationally notorious and has attracted a lot of scolding, but the Swedes do not care about it, but instead regard it as a delicacy. Especially on the third Thursday of August, Swedes also hold parties specifically for tasting canned herring, which is difficult for outsiders to understand.
Although the canned herring is smelly, Sweden still insists on producing it, and there are at least three reasons behind this:
First, canned herring has a long history of eating in Sweden, has a deep foundation, and has developed into an inseparable food culture.
According to Wikipedia, canned herring has been popular in Sweden for at least 300 years and has deep roots in culture. More importantly, this tradition is not unique, and countries such as Poland, Lithuania, Finland, Denmark, Germany, Latvia, Norway and other countries also have traditions of pickling herring. For European countries, canned herring has its own unique historical significance and is a widely spread famous dish.
Second, Swedes eat canned herring with exquisite and many ways to eat, which has an irreplaceable role in social, party and other occasions.
In Sweden, the Netherlands and other countries, the most exquisite and authentic way to eat canned herring is to lift the tail of the fish, raise the neck, and swallow it directly. Depending on the taste of the marinade, herring can also be paired with oatmeal, yogurt, crispy bread, and potatoes. At herring parties, potatoes, onions, sour cream, dough cakes, etc. are also common "next meals" with important social attributes.
Third, canned herring has brought rich foreign exchange to Sweden, with high industrial value and outstanding economic benefits.
According to statistics, Sweden produces more than 1 million cans of herring every year, each containing 6 to 8 fermented herring, with a net weight of 300g. Among them, many canned herring are sold in the form of "challenge sets". Taking advantage of people's challenge mentality, alternative suits such as these have been ordered around the world, making a lot of money for swedish herring canning companies. For the sake of economic interests, Sweden naturally will not give up such a considerable "wealth code".
What do you think about canned herring? Feel free to leave a message in the comments section.