This oil is not oil, and it can't be used in the kitchen? Here is the buying guide!

Oyster sauce is a common seasoning in the kitchen. Many families must add oyster sauce when cooking. Dishes without oyster sauce taste like they are missing something. Some people also say: "Dishes without oyster sauce don't taste fresh."

Recently, the topic #Haitian oyster sauce suspected to contain a whole piece of oyster# has sparked heated discussions among netizens, which has also triggered a discussion about whether there are oysters in oyster sauce. In this article, we will talk about oyster sauce.

▲Photo: Screenshot from Weibo

1. Why is oyster sauce so delicious?

The name of oyster sauce is not random. First of all, it is not oil. Instead, it is a traditional compound condiment made from oyster juice boiled from oyster meat, which is hydrolyzed, mixed with auxiliary ingredients , homogenized and sterilized. [1] It has a delicious taste and can enhance the flavor of dishes.

Oyster sauce tastes good because it contains many volatile components. A study used both distillation extraction and headspace solid phase microextraction to test the components in six types of oyster sauces. A total of 214 volatile substances were detected, of which 103 were identified using headspace solid phase microextraction technology. The main components that provide flavor to oyster sauce include the components listed in the table below. [1]

These are ingredients found in most common oyster sauces, so we will taste more flavor when we add oyster sauce to our dishes.

In addition, oyster sauce can also bring us umami, which mainly comes from the monosodium glutamate in the oyster sauce. The higher the content of this ingredient in the oyster sauce, the more obvious the umami taste.

2. How to choose oyster sauce?

▲Photo: Photo Network

- Choose the oyster sauce that is closer to the front

Since you are buying oyster sauce, you naturally want more "oyster" ingredients! Then you have to look at the ingredient list and choose the one with the highest oyster sauce. This is because according to the provisions of China's "General Principles of Nutrition Labeling for Prepackaged Foods": the order of the ingredient list should be arranged from most to least , and the one ranked first means the highest content. For example, the oyster sauce in the picture below is pretty good.

▲Photo: Ingredients list of a certain brand of oyster sauce

Some brands will boldly mark the oyster juice content on the label. If the content is marked, choose the one with a higher content.

▲Photo: A certain brand of oyster sauce

- Choose high protein content

Oysters are aquatic products rich in protein, and oyster juice naturally contains some protein. You can choose the one with a relatively high protein content in the nutritional table, which means that the oyster juice content may be higher. For example, compared with the two types in the picture below, the one with a protein content of 0.8g/100g is more recommended.

▲Photo: Two types of oyster sauce from a certain brand

- Choose foods with relatively low sodium content

While referring to the oyster juice and protein content, it is also best to pay attention to the sodium content and choose a relatively low sodium one to reduce salt intake .

In addition, vegetarians can choose vegetarian oyster sauce , which does not contain "oysters" in the ingredients. It is mainly plant-based ingredients, most of which contain fungi and algae.

▲Picture: E-commerce platform

3. How to store oyster sauce?

For unopened oyster sauce, you can store it in a cool, dry place away from light. If it has been opened, you have to refrigerate it!

In particular, do not place it in the kitchen . The temperature in the kitchen is high due to frequent cooking, and oyster sauce can easily become moldy and deteriorate.

Summarize:

Oyster sauce is delicious, it is best to add it before serving to add extra flavor to the dish! But don't add too much, just stir gently~

References:

[1] Duan Xinrui, Kang Bo, Zhang Xiaolong, Liu Zeping, Xu Ning, Li Dongsheng. Comparative analysis of volatile flavor components in oyster sauce[J]. Chinese Condiment, 2022, 47(11): 144-150.