"The Unwanted Burden" Saved by MIT... 'The Ocean's Hot Dog' Consumed 58 Million Times Annually in the U.S. [Delicious Stories]

Over 56 Million Sold Annually in the U.S.
Fish Sticks: The Solution to White Fish Oversupply
A National Project Uniting Industry, Government, and Science

Editor's NoteIt is said that the very first snack was discovered in the ancient Mesopotamian civilization. Snacks have accompanied humanity at every moment throughout history. From biscuits and chocolate to ice cream, we bring you delicious stories behind the treats we love.

Frozen foods made by frying white fish such as cod and pollock, known as "fish sticks," are a popular snack in the United States and other Western countries. In the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth nations, they are called "fish fingers" and are typically eaten with mustard or tartar sauce. Fish sticks were born as a "project of the century" in the 1950s, utilizing cutting-edge American technology, and the efforts of scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) played a key role in their development.

Where Did Fried Fish Fillet Sticks, Fish Sticks, Begin?

Gortons Fish Sticks. Gortons official website

Paul Josephson, a history professor at Johns Hopkins University, wrote in his book "The Ocean's Hot Dog" that "MIT scientists were brought in to develop mass production technology for fish sticks, and the U.S. Congress directly passed legislation to provide funding and support for promotion."

While fried fish dishes existed previously, breaded fried fish packaged as a frozen food was first mass-produced in 1953 by three seafood processing companies based in Massachusetts: Gortons, Birds Eye, and Fullham. These companies received the first-ever U.S. Department of Agriculture quality certification for processed frozen seafood products.

The mass production of fish sticks, which involved a wide range of advanced technologies, did not proceed smoothly from the start. Removing bones from cod or pollock fillets required the use of X-ray inspection machines, and applying rapid freezing technology to preserve fish fillets for extended periods was also a significant challenge.

Companies made significant efforts to ensure the stable production of high-quality fish sticks. In particular, Gortons partnered with the MIT Food Technology Department to begin work on improving fish stick quality. This project continued for years, and it is reported that two graduate students at the time even earned their degrees with dissertations focused on fish sticks.

A 1956 American newspaper advertisement promoting pizza with fish sticks. Screenshot from the online community 'Reddit'.

Table of Contents of the MIT Food Technology Department's paper titled "Factors Affecting the Quality of Frozen Fish Sticks," published as an electronic document. The study researched everything necessary for fish stick production, including X-ray detectors, cooking temperature and time, batter ingredients, and moisture ratio. Source: MIT website

In 1955, MIT published a comprehensive research paper titled "Factors Affecting the Quality of Frozen Fish Sticks," which remains publicly available today. The 148-page paper details research on optimal oil temperature and cooking time for fish sticks, methods for building X-ray machines to detect fish bones, and the moisture ratio in batter, among other topics. Gortons also worked with MIT to host the world's first "Frozen Food Expo," introducing the latest freezing technologies to both industry professionals and consumers and putting significant effort into promotion.

Food companies were able to invest substantial resources in fish stick research thanks to strong support from the U.S. government and Congress. In 1956, Congress passed the Saltonstall-Kennedy Act to support research on processed seafood products, allocating a budget of 45 million dollars specifically for promoting seafood consumption in American households. The U.S. government revised school meal regulations to require fish sticks in all schools nationwide, and the Department of Agriculture established a quality assurance system dedicated exclusively to fish sticks.

The Ocean's Hot Dog: Solving the Problem of Fish Oversupply

Why did companies, universities, and the government join forces for a single processed food? According to Professor Josephson, the fishing industries in the United States, Europe, and other Western countries were facing an unprecedented crisis at the time. After World War II, advances in shipbuilding and underwater acoustic detection (SONAR) technology led to a dramatic increase in fish catches, but demand failed to keep pace, causing fish prices to plummet.

Interior view of a fish stick production factory in the 1950s. Grimsby History Club

The seafood most affected by oversupply at the time was white fish such as cod and pollock, all caught in the North Atlantic from Massachusetts to Western Europe. In the early 1950s, fishermen would skin the white fish and remove only the spoilable parts such as gills and internal organs before freezing them. These frozen, processed fish were shipped to the U.S. market by cargo ships and trucks, but consumers showed no interest in such ingredients.

In an interview, Professor Josephson explained, "Fish sticks were chosen as the solution to the surplus of frozen fish overflowing in Massachusetts. It was a case where modern technology was used to save a collapsing fish market." He added, "After achieving full-scale mass production, fish sticks captured 10% of the U.S. seafood market within just a few months and even earned the nickname 'the hot dog from the sea.'"

Meanwhile, Gortons estimated that annual U.S. consumption of fish sticks, which have eliminated the original appearance, smell, and texture of fish, exceeds 58 million units.