While some swai fish have indeed been raised in unsanitary and overcrowded conditions, those that do come from fish farms that are operating illegally. They are said to be raised in unclean waters filled with harmful bacteria. One of the major issues thrown around is how these fishes are farmed. However, it’s also quite infamous in some Western households. We did mention that swai fish is popular. READ ALSO: The Debate Between Fish And Meat – Is Fish Meat? Is Swai Fish Safe to Eat? Aside from salmon, it is also frequently compared with catfish when it comes to taste and texture. This is why many have started to use it as a cheap substitute for wild salmon. In fact, swai fish’s taste and texture also closely match the popular salmon. But above all, people price swai for its sweet, buttery, and mild flavor without any hint of fishy taste.

Its meat also turns white after it’s cooked. After it’s cooked, swai becomes what people love it for: flakey, yet tender and moist. When raw, swai is delicate, tender, and is light-beige in color. Hence, the names iridescent shark catfish and striped pangasius. Its body is also iridescent and has two striped lines along it.

But in the U.S., they’re more popularly known as Asian catfish and marketed as swai fish.īefore being filleted for market consumption, swai fish have dark scales that closely resemble tilapia in color. They belong in the family of shark catfishes from the family of Pangasiidae. And though incorrectly, they’re also sometimes called basa and panga. These include tra, striped pangasius, cream dory, and iridescent shark (also iridescent shark catfish). Swai fish is called by a variety of names. But the question is, what kind of fish is swai fish? It’s also possible that some of us have used it to substitute wild-caught salmon because it’s a cheaper alternative. Some of us know what swai fish is because we’ve probably seen it in a grocery store. So the next time you visit a grocery store, you won’t be as hesitant as you were before about this controversial fish food. If this fish hasn’t reached your grocery shopping list yet, then we’re hoping that reading through this article will help you understand this seafood a little better. market are also imported from Vietnam and are mostly sold filleted and frozen. However, farming of swai has been carried out by the Vietnamese so it’s more commonly associated with the Southeast Asian country. Its appeal, as many would say, is attributed to it being an affordable substitute for expensive fish like haddock.īut what exactly is swai fish? Swai (sometimes called Asian catfish) is a freshwater fish that is native to the Mekong Lake of China. It is mild in taste and delicate in texture, with light flaky meat that melts in your mouth. Swai fish is an imported fish from Vietnam that has been growing in popularity in the United States.

What Is Swai Fish: Taste, Texture, and More.

Swai fish from vietnam