Shrimp Paste
Shrimp paste is a dense fermented condiment made from small shrimp or krill that have been salted heavily and left to ferment, then ground into a paste and, in many regional forms, sun dried and pressed into blocks. It is known as belacan in Malaysia, terasi in Indonesia, kapi in Thailand and xia jiang in China, and it functions as a concentrated savoury base rather than as a seasoning used at table.
Fermentation is carried out by the shrimp's own enzymes together with salt-tolerant bacteria, at salt levels high enough to exclude spoilage organisms. Protein is broken down to peptides and free amino acids, giving very high glutamate levels, while amino acid metabolism and lipid oxidation generate the volatile amines, sulphur compounds and short chain acids responsible for the pungent aroma. Trimethylamine and its relatives dominate that aroma and are the reason the raw paste smells far stronger than the cooked dish.
The finished paste is greyish pink to dark purple-brown, firm to spreadable, and stable at ambient temperature on salt content alone. Heating before use, by toasting or frying, drives off the sharpest volatiles and develops roasted notes.
We source bulk Shrimp Paste from top China manufacturers for our partners, working with several of them. The manufacturers are in Zhejiang and Shandong. A smaller requirement can ship in a combined container with other ingredients.
Please send the grade you need, the volume and your destination port, and we will come back with a solution and a price.
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- Function
- Flavours and Aromas
Specifications
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Homogeneous greyish pink to dark purple-brown paste or firm block |
| Odour and Flavour | Strongly pungent fermented shrimp, characteristic |
| Moisture, block grade | Not more than 35.0 percent |
| Sodium Chloride | 15.0 to 25.0 percent |
| Protein (N x 6.25), dry basis | Not less than 30.0 percent |
| Water Activity | Not more than 0.80 |
| pH | 6.5 to 8.0 |
| Histamine | Within the applicable regulatory limit for the destination market |
| Cadmium | Not more than 0.5 mg/kg |
| Lead | Not more than 0.5 mg/kg |
| Total Plate Count | Not more than 100,000 cfu/g |
| Yeast and Mould | Not more than 1,000 cfu/g |
| E. coli | Absent in 1 g |
| Salmonella | Absent in 25 g |
Common Markets Grades
Grades follow raw material and format. Pastes made from whole small shrimp are the standard article, while krill-based pastes are darker, softer and more intensely aromatic. Firm block grades are dried and pressed to low moisture and are cut or grated before use, whereas wet paste grades are packed at higher moisture in jars and tubs and are spoonable. Colour ranges from pinkish grey to near black with fermentation time and drying, and is used as a rough index of strength.
Industrial buyers also encounter a second and quite different product sold under the same English name, a shrimp reaction paste made by a flavour house from shrimp hydrolysate reacted with sugars and amino acids. That material is a concentrated flavouring rather than a fermented condiment, is far milder in aroma, and is specified on solids, salt and sensory match rather than on fermentation. The two are not interchangeable and are distinguished on the specification sheet by the presence or absence of a fermentation step.
Applications
- Sambal and chilli paste manufacture, where toasted shrimp paste supplies the savoury base
- Curry pastes across Thai and Malaysian formats, ground with chilli, galangal and lemongrass
- Stir-fried vegetable dishes such as kangkung belacan in foodservice and ready meal formats
- Dipping sauces and relishes including nam prik style condiments
- Soup and broth bases, dissolved into the liquid phase
- Marinades for grilled fish, chicken and pork
- Fried rice and noodle seasoning pastes
- Retail condiment jars, blocks and tubs sold as finished products
- Industrial seasoning blends, where dried and milled paste is used as a powder component
China Manufacturers of Shrimp Paste
Top Shrimp Paste manufacturers in China.
- Weihai Puyuan Food Co., Ltd.4 ingredients in the directory
Zhe Jiang Industrial Group Co., Ltd.12 ingredients in the directory- Zhoushan Lingxian Marine Biotechnology Co., Ltd.7 ingredients in the directory
Company names and logos are the property of the manufacturers themselves. They are listed here because our own directory records them as producing this ingredient. A listing is not an endorsement by them, and we do not represent them or speak on their behalf.
Regulatory Status
Shrimp paste is a food rather than a food additive, so no E number applies to the paste itself, although any preservative or colour added in an industrial version falls under the additive rules and is declared. In the United States it is subject to FDA seafood HACCP requirements, and crustacean shellfish must be declared as a major allergen. Imported fermented shrimp products receive attention for histamine and for the adequacy of the salt level that controls its formation.
In the European Union shrimp paste is a fishery product under the food hygiene package, requiring an approved establishment in a listed third country and health certification on import, with crustacean allergen declaration mandatory. Cadmium limits for crustaceans under the contaminants regulation are the principal contaminant concern, because krill and whole small shrimp are consumed entire and the metal concentrates in the hepatopancreas, and histamine controls apply as they do to other fermented fishery products. Codex maintains a code of practice for fish and fishery products, and its regional standards for fermented fishery products cover the salt, moisture and hygiene requirements relevant to this category.
Manufacturing Process
Small shrimp or krill are landed and mixed with solar salt at roughly one part salt to three to five parts shrimp, without gutting, since the digestive enzymes drive the process. The salted mass is packed into concrete tanks or vats, weighted, and left to ferment for several weeks to several months at ambient temperature. During this period the tissue softens, protein hydrolyses to amino acids and the characteristic aroma develops. In traditional practice the mass is periodically turned or spread in the sun for part of a day and returned to the tank, which accelerates enzyme action and darkens the colour.
The fermented mass is then ground in a mill or stone grinder to a uniform paste. For block grades, the paste is spread on drying racks and sun dried in stages, kneaded between drying periods to keep the texture even, and finally pressed into moulds and wrapped. Wet grades skip the extended drying and are filled directly into jars. Industrial production adds a pasteurisation step before filling, and standardises salt and moisture to fix water activity, since these two parameters between them determine ambient stability. Metal detection and sieving precede final packing.
