Food · Fermented foods
Kibinago (Silver Sprat / Banded Blue Sprat)
きびなご (Kibinago)
Also known as: Kibinago, Silver sprat, Banded blue sprat, Spratelloides gracilis, 黍魚子
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| Category | Food |
|---|---|
| Japanese labeling name | きびなご |
| Common Japanese notations | きびなご, 黍魚子, キビナゴ |
| Origin | Banded blue sprat (Spratelloides gracilis); small pelagic fish harvested in Kyushu coastal waters; principal landing region Kagoshima |
| Typical functions | Kagoshima regional cuisine signature — kibinago no chirashi-zushi, hand-arranged into 'flower-petal' sashimi presentation, Tempura, kara-age |
| Regulatory status in Japan | Standard food labeling. Kagoshima regional specialty. Fish allergen recommended disclosure. |
Kibinago (きびなご / 黍魚子) is a Kagoshima regional small pelagic fish (Spratelloides gracilis) with distinctive culinary application — fillets are hand-arranged into flower-petal sashimi presentations. Regional cuisine signature.
Classification
Tags below link to other ingredients sharing the same attribute, so you can pivot from one ingredient to its peers.
Product applications
Functions
Regulatory tags
Origin
Used in (typical product categories)
Finished-product categories that commonly include this ingredient in Japanese-market formulations.
- Fresh kibinago (Kagoshima regional)
What it is
Spratelloides gracilis small pelagic fish.
Typical uses in Japanese products
Kagoshima signature flower-petal sashimi.
Tempura, kara-age.
For OEM: regional Kagoshima foodservice supply.
Regulatory classification in Japan
Standard food labeling. Kagoshima regional. Fish allergen recommended.
Regulatory classification in other markets
| EU | Niche specialty positioning. |
|---|---|
| USA | Niche specialty positioning. |
| China | Niche specialty positioning. |
| Korea | Niche specialty positioning. |
Example products
Example finished products will be added after verification of Kagoshima origin.
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Sharing similar functions
Ingredients that overlap on functional benefit tags.
From the same origin
Other ingredients that share an origin classification.
References
- MEXT Standard Tables of Food Composition — きびなご
Last updated: 2026-04-28. Ingredient entries are reviewed at least annually against current regulatory listings.