The
product widely known and marketed in the USA as langostino is the cooked
and peeled tail meat of a small crustacean between shrimp and small
lobster in appearance.
Large quantities are imported from Chile and parts
of Central America. The frozen product is a tasteless,
soft-textured item, used mainly as a substitute for lobster meat in
recipes that contain more strongly flavored ingredients, such as salads
or sandwiches where the mayonnaise and vegetables mask the lack of
flavor of the langostinos.
Langostinos are usually packed in 12 ounce bars,
polly wrapped and then put into printed cartons for retail sale.
Retail business on this item used to be huge, when the product was
cheap. They are usual one dozen bars in a box, four boxes per
carton, expressed as 4/12/12oz.
To
overcome poor plant hygiene and FDA rejections, most langostinos are
pasteurized to destroy bacteria. This process requires a thinner
bar, so pasteurized langostinos have two 6oz bars wrapped as a 12oz,
giving the complicated packing description of 4/12/twin 6oz.
I.Q.F. langos are also available, packed in 6/5lbs
bulk for institutional use and 8oz and 16oz retail bags. I.Q.F.
langostinos prices are usually quoted per pound, while the bars are
frequently quoted per 12oz bar.
Make sure that your price structure is clear when
you buy or sell this item. The Chile langostinos is regarded as
the market leader, and generally those from other origins sell at a
substantially lower price, since the flavor and texture are thought to
be inferior. It is worth trying these products and making your own
judgment.
Langostinos