On 3/6/2019 12:42 AM, U.S. Janet B. wrote:
> On Tue, 5 Mar 2019 21:25:43 -0500, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:
>
>> On 3/5/2019 7:50 PM, U.S. Janet B. wrote:
>>> On Tue, 5 Mar 2019 18:57:10 -0500, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:
>>>
>>>> On 3/5/2019 5:53 PM, U.S. Janet B. wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> I checked today and the price of scallops at Costco is 2 pounds for
>>>>> $24. That's a pretty decent price I thought. I'll get them more
>>>>> often. While I was looking at the frozen scallops I noticed that
>>>>> Costco has increased the number of items carried in that area.
>>>>> Something to look forward to.
>>>>> Janet US
>>>>>
>>>> Half of what I paid at Publix. Good, but expensive. Are they dry pack?
>>>
>>> what do you mean by dry pack. They are individual scallops, frozen
>>> with a thin coat of ice on each one.
>>> They are a nice large size, 15 to a pound.
>>> Janet US
>>>
>>
>> If it does not say dry pack, they probably are not. You are buying some
>> water with them.
>>
>> Wet scallops are treated with a solution of water and sodium
>> tripolyphosphate, or STPP, which preserves them as soon as they are
>> harvested at sea. Then they're often frozen. This preserves them, but it
>> also helps them to hold on to a lot more water weight. Dry scallops are
>> scallops that are not treated in this way.
>
> it says 'ingredients: scallops, all natural' I thought the thin
> coating of ice prevented freezer burn
>

Could be dry, or at least under 80%.

Processed scallops that have been loaded with excessive amounts of water
will be excessively heavy and should rightfully be sold at a lower price
per pound. Consumers, therefore, should be vigilant. Processed scallops
will be almost pure white (the phosphate acts also as a bleach) rather
than their natural ivory, creamy or pinkish color, and they will be
resting in a milky, sticky liquid that makes them tend to clump
together. They're a disaster in sauteing, because they'll release their
excess water into the pan and steam instead of brown. The role of the
FDA? It monitors the water content of the product. Back home in the sea,
scallops are 75 percent to 80 percent water. If a commercial product
contains more than 80 percent water, the FDA requires that it be labeled
an "X% Water Added Scallop Product" and if applicable, "Processed with
Sodium Tripolyphosphate." Scallops containing more than 84 percent water
may not be sold. So much for the "FDA made me do it" excuse.

The problem is that these labels are affixed to the wholesale buckets
and you may never see them. So buy your scallops only from a fishmonger
whom you trust not to sell waterlogged scallops at dry-scallop prices.