Why source from Japan
Nagasaki's 400+ year karasumi tradition produces a distinct salt-cure and pressing profile; one of Japan's three classic delicacies (sankin).
Key spec
Protein 35-45% post-cure; salt 8-15%; lipid 25-35%; characteristic amber-orange colour from oxidation during sun-drying.
Typical end-product
Fine-dining karasumi shavings (over pasta / rice), gift-grade kaiseki accent, Western-fusion premium retail.
At a glance
- Suppliers listed
- Phase 1 onboarding in progress
- Typical MOQ
- 1–10 kg cured product; 100 g – 1 kg specialty grades
- Typical lead time
- 12–20 weeks (allocation-constrained)
- Regions of origin
- Nagasaki, Kagawa, Taiwan-influenced Kyushu (limited)
- Category
- Food ingredients
- Harvest season
- Roe: October – November (mullet spawning); curing 30-60 days
- Japan regulatory status
- Food product; salt and protein labelling under JAS
- Japanese name
- からすみ
- Romaji
- Karasumi
About this ingredient
Salt-cured and sun-dried mullet (Mugil cephalus) roe — Japan's premium counterpart to Mediterranean bottarga. Nagasaki has 400+ year heritage as the centre of Japanese karasumi production, with smaller producers in Kagawa and Taiwan-influenced southern Kyushu. Karasumi is one of Japan's three classic delicacies (sankin) alongside konowata and uni. The cure-and-press process takes 30-60 days, during which the roe loses ~50% mass. Used in fine-dining (shaved over pasta, rice), as gift-grade kaiseki accent, and increasingly in high-end Western fine-dining alongside Mediterranean bottarga.
Regulatory status
| Japan | Food product; salt and protein labelling under JAS |
|---|---|
| EU | Food import; allergen labelling for fish required |
| United States | GRAS; FDA Prior Notice; fish-allergen labelling per FALCPA |
| China | GACC food facility registration; AQSIQ inspection |
Looking for alternatives?
Common reasons buyers swap to a different ingredient — and what we'd suggest based on this ingredient's profile.
Vegan / plant-based alternatives
Karasumi (Japanese Mullet Bottarga) is animal-derived. If you need a non-animal source with similar functions, consider:
Sansho Pepper
山椒
Zanthoxylum piperitum source; INCI Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract; MOQ from 1–10 kg (dried peppercorn); 100 g – 5 kg (powder).
Plant-based· shares 3 categories
Wasabi Powder
山葵粉末
Wasabia japonica (Eutrema japonicum) source; INCI Wasabia Japonica Root Powder; MOQ from 1–10 kg (powder); 100 kg+ (bulk paste).
Plant-based· shares 3 categories
Shio Koji
塩麹
MOQ from 20–100 kg.
Plant-based· shares 3 categories
Easier China regulatory path
Karasumi (Japanese Mullet Bottarga) faces a more restrictive regulatory pathway in China. These alternatives have a simpler status in that market:
Japanese Abalone (Awabi)
鮑 / アワビ
Protein 18-22%; collagen-rich; taurine 750-950 mg/100g; mother-of-pearl shell upcycled to cosmetic-grade calcium carbonate.
Simpler in China· shares 4 categories
Sansho Pepper
山椒
Zanthoxylum piperitum source; INCI Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract; MOQ from 1–10 kg (dried peppercorn); 100 g – 5 kg (powder).
Simpler in China· shares 3 categories
Wasabi Powder
山葵粉末
Wasabia japonica (Eutrema japonicum) source; INCI Wasabia Japonica Root Powder; MOQ from 1–10 kg (powder); 100 kg+ (bulk paste).
Simpler in China· shares 3 categories
When does it make sense to swap an ingredient? Read the swap guide →
Japanese suppliers
Phase 1 manufacturer onboarding is in progress. If you are actively sourcing this ingredient and would like to be introduced to candidate Japanese producers, send an inquiry and our team will return with options.
Disclaimer
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Last updated: 2026-05-05