Ike Jime & Shinkei Jime
Ike Jime and Shinkei Jime are Japanese methods of dispatching fish. They were developed on the basis that the less trauma a fish undergoes, the better it will eat.
If you’re going to eat animals – and we respect hugely those who don’t – this is about as ‘humane’ as it gets.
Both methods focus on a very swift dispatch to improve both the taste and the texture of the fish, as well as its shelf life.
Ike Jime involves a sharp spike to the brain, rendering the fish insensitive to pain.
Shinkei Jime is then the next level, destroying the spinal cord to prevent the production of lactic acid and cortisol, both of which lower the quality of the flesh.
The process is very specialist and labour-intensive and this is therefore reflected in the price of the fish, but many folk agree with us that the premium is more than worth it.