Eel as food

Eels are elongated fish that serve as a significant food source in many global cuisines.

They are used in a wide variety of dishes, ranging from simple soups to expensive delicacies. While they are eaten in many places, Japan is a major consumer of this resource. In fact, Japan consumes more than 70 percent of the global eel catch.

Because eels are used in so many different ways, they hold great culinary value across many cultures.

Preparing eel requires specific techniques to ensure it is safe and delicious to eat. A notable detail is that eel blood contains a toxic protein. This toxin can be dangerous to humans and other small mammals. For example, only 0.1ml/kg is enough to kill a small mammal like a rabbit. However, the danger is managed through preparation. Both the process of cooking the eel and the human digestive process destroy the toxic protein. This allows people to enjoy the meat safely.

There are different types of eels used in cooking, often categorized by their habitat. In Japanese cuisine, a distinction is made between freshwater eels, called unagi, and marine eels, called anago or conger eel.

Another important stage in the eel life cycle is the elver. Elvers are young eels that are highly prized in certain regions. In Spain, a dish called angulas uses these sautéed elvers in olive oil, garlic, and chili pepper.

Because elvers are now rare, a small serving can cost the equivalent of US$100 or more.

Specific cooking methods define many famous eel dishes. In Japan, the kabayaki style is very common for unagi. This process involves splitting the fish down the back or belly, gutting it, and removing the bones. The fish is then butterflied, cut into square fillets, and placed on a skewer. It is dipped in a sweet soy sauce-based sauce before being broiled on a grill.

This is often served in a large bowl of steamed rice called unadon.

Regional traditions offer even more variety in how eel is served. In Belgium, a specialty called paling in 't groen means "eels in the green." This dish consists of freshwater eel pieces cooked in a green herb sauce.

In Vietnam, northern regions like Hanoi enjoy miến lươn, which is a cellophane noodle soup with eel. Another Vietnamese specialty, xúp lươn, is an eel or pork broth soup made with chives, onion, annatto, and chili powder.

In Northeast India, Assamese people eat freshwater eels known as kusia in curries with herbs.

History shows how eel transitioned from a common staple to a luxury item. In 18th-century England, eels were a cheap and nutritious food for the poor in London. They were so abundant in the Thames River that people used nets far upriver to catch them. This led to the creation of traditional foods like jellied eels and pie and mash.

While demand for these foods has declined since World War II, the history remains. In Hong Kong, the value of eel has reached extreme heights, with prices sometimes exceeding 5000 HKD per kilogram.

Today, the eel industry faces significant environmental and economic challenges. Many eel species are at risk due to changing populations. The European eel is listed as Critically Endangered on the global IUCN Red List. The Japanese eel and the American eel are both assessed as Endangered.

Because of these risks, Greenpeace International added the American, European, and Japanese eel to its seafood red list. This list identifies fish that are commonly sold but face high risks from unsustainable fisheries. Despite these concerns, the industry remains economically important, such as in Maine, where it was worth $12 million in 2017.