Food · Fermented foods
Awabi (Japanese Abalone)
あわび (Awabi)
Also known as: Awabi, Japanese abalone, Haliotis discus hannai, Haliotis gigantea, Haliotis sieboldii, 鮑, Madaka-awabi, Megai-awabi, Kuro-awabi
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| Category | Food |
|---|---|
| Japanese labeling name | あわび 生 / 干し / 塩辛 |
| Common Japanese notations | あわび, 鮑, アワビ, 黒鮑, 目貝鮑, 蝦夷鮑 |
| Origin | Japanese abalone — three species: **Kuro-awabi** (Haliotis discus discus, Pacific south), **Megai-awabi** (Haliotis gigantea, Pacific), **Madaka-awabi** (Haliotis madaka, deep-water premium), and **Ezo-awabi** (Haliotis discus hannai, northern); principal regions Iwate, Miyagi, Chiba, Mie, Tokushima, Nagasaki; wild-harvest declining and aquaculture growing; **dried abalone (kanpyo / boshi-awabi) is a top-grade Chinese-cuisine ingredient (干鮑)** and historic export 'Tawara-mono' to Qing China (Edo era) |
| Typical functions | Top-tier premium shellfish — sushi, sashimi, kaiseki signature, Kanpyo-awabi (dried abalone) — premium Chinese-cuisine high-end ingredient, Salt-pickled awabi-no-shiokara (luxury preserve), Awabi-no-jiwarayaki (steam-grilled premium preparation), Iwate Sanriku and Tokushima Naruto premium provenance |
| Regulatory status in Japan | Standard food labeling. **Origin disclosure required.** Awabi is **JAS-recommended-disclosure allergen.** Wild-harvest in marine-protected zones requires fishing-rights compliance; some regions enforce minimum-size and seasonal limits. |
Awabi (あわび / 鮑) is Japanese abalone — three species (kuro/megai/madaka) plus ezo-awabi northern. Top-tier premium shellfish for sushi, sashimi, kaiseki. **Dried awabi (kanpyo) is a Chinese-cuisine luxury ingredient** and historic Edo-era 'Tawara-mono' export. Iwate Sanriku, Tokushima Naruto premium.
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Classification
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Product applications
Functions
Regulatory tags
Origin
Common OEM product categories
Finished-product categories where Japanese OEM manufacturers commonly formulate with this ingredient.
- Live/fresh awabi premium retail (sashimi-grade)
- Dried awabi (kanpyo) B2B Chinese-cuisine premium
- Awabi-no-shiokara luxury retail
- Frozen awabi for foodservice premium
Ingredient profile
Haliotis discus / gigantea / madaka / discus hannai abalone.
OEM applications
Premium sushi, sashimi, kaiseki.
Kanpyo-awabi dried Chinese-cuisine luxury.
Awabi-no-shiokara salt-pickle.
Steam-grilled premium kaiseki.
For OEM: live premium retail, dried Chinese-cuisine B2B, foodservice frozen.
Regulatory classification in Japan
Standard food labeling. Origin disclosure.
**Awabi JAS-recommended-disclosure allergen.**
Wild-harvest fishing-rights compliance; minimum-size and seasonal limits in some regions.
Regulatory classification in other markets
| EU | **Mollusks EU-mandatory allergen.** Premium Asian-cuisine market. |
|---|---|
| USA | Mollusk allergen disclosure. CITES — some abalone species protected; verify sourcing. |
| China | Premium import market (dried awabi command top tier). |
| Korea | Established as 전복 (jeonbok); strong domestic aquaculture (Wando). |
Market reference formulations
Example finished products will be added after verification.
All brand names and product names referenced anywhere on this site are the property of their respective owners. Example entries are provided for informational purposes only and do not imply endorsement.
Seasonality & supply calendar
- Harvest months
- Wild: April – September (主要漁期)
- Peak supply
- July – August
- Off-season
- Wild supply closed October – March in most prefectures (繁殖期禁漁)
Source: 水産庁 / 漁業センサス. Cultured awabi (Iwate / Mie / Nagasaki) supplements wild catch; supply is structurally tight.
Storage requirements
How the receiving OEM facility needs to handle inbound raw material.
- Temperature
- Live 4°C in oxygenated seawater; chilled 0°C; frozen −20°C
- Conditions
- Live shipped in seaweed-padded boxes; processed steamed and vacuum-packed
- Shelf life
- Live 5 days; frozen 12 months
Supply concentration
Where this ingredient comes from — useful for single-source-risk planning.
- Primary regions
- Iwate, Mie, Chiba, Nagasaki (wild + cultured)
- Import dependence
- Domestic supply tight; imports from Korea, NZ, Australia, Mexico
水産庁
Certifications commonly available
Certification schemes commonly obtainable for this raw material. Always confirm the specific supplier's current certificate before contracting.
| Scheme | Availability | |
|---|---|---|
| Halal | On-request | Bivalves Halal per Shafi'i school |
| Kosher | Unavailable | |
| ASC | On-request |
Documented adulteration risks
Known fraud / adulteration patterns reported by regulators or industry bodies. Specify CoA params and screening tests on every PO.
- Imported abalone (NZ / Korean / Australian) mislabeled as Japanese-origin
Detection: Country-of-origin label; DNA species ID
水産庁
Alternative ingredients
Related ingredients commonly evaluated as substitutes.
Quick answers
- What is Awabi (Japanese Abalone)?
- Awabi (あわび / 鮑) is Japanese abalone — three species (kuro/megai/madaka) plus ezo-awabi northern. Top-tier premium shellfish for sushi, sashimi, kaiseki. **Dried awabi (kanpyo) is a Chinese-cuisine luxury ingredient** and historic Edo-era 'Tawara-mono' export. Iwate Sanriku, Tokushima Naruto premium.
- What is the regulatory status of Awabi (Japanese Abalone) in Japan?
- Standard food labeling. **Origin disclosure required.** Awabi is **JAS-recommended-disclosure allergen.** Wild-harvest in marine-protected zones requires fishing-rights compliance; some regions enforce minimum-size and seasonal limits.
- What products typically use Awabi (Japanese Abalone)?
- Live/fresh awabi premium retail (sashimi-grade) / Dried awabi (kanpyo) B2B Chinese-cuisine premium / Awabi-no-shiokara luxury retail / Frozen awabi for foodservice premium
- Where does Awabi (Japanese Abalone) come from?
- Japanese abalone — three species: **Kuro-awabi** (Haliotis discus discus, Pacific south), **Megai-awabi** (Haliotis gigantea, Pacific), **Madaka-awabi** (Haliotis madaka, deep-water premium), and **Ezo-awabi** (Haliotis discus hannai, northern); principal regions Iwate, Miyagi, Chiba, Mie, Tokushima, Nagasaki; wild-harvest declining and aquaculture growing; **dried abalone (kanpyo / boshi-awabi) is a top-grade Chinese-cuisine ingredient (干鮑)** and historic export 'Tawara-mono' to Qing China (Edo era)
- What is the INCI / JSCI labeling name for Awabi (Japanese Abalone)?
- JSCI: あわび 生 / 干し / 塩辛
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From the same origin
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References
- 文部科学省 (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) Standard Tables of Food Composition — あわび 生 / 干し / 塩辛
Last updated: 2026-04-28. Ingredient entries are reviewed at least annually against current regulatory listings.