Hundreds of millions of the small red crustaceans are being served in bars and restaurants in Russia and China, as hunger can strike unexpectedly when staying up late to watch the games. (Photo provided to China Daily)
Crustaceans prove a hit with those watching games in bars in Russia and China
Although China's soccer team is missing from the ongoing 2018 FIFA World Cup, the country's crawfish are representing it on the global stage during the tournament.
Hundreds of millions of the small red crustaceans are being served in bars and restaurants in Russia and China, as hunger can strike unexpectedly when staying up late to watch the games.
While most diners consume crawfish for pleasure, for Qu Yunxiao it's strictly business.
With crawfish becoming a staple in Chinese homes and restaurants, quality control steps in. Qu's job is to taste batches of crawfish soaked in chilli and pepper to ensure they are of a suitable standard.
The 25-year-old studied supply chain management at Cardiff University in the United Kingdom. Upon getting her master's degree last year, she joined Xinliangji, a crawfish processing company in Central China's Hubei province, as a professional taster.
Hubei alone accounts for 55 percent of the country's craw-fish industry, with 1.13 million metric tons in annual output, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in June.
"Hear the job title professional crawfish taster, and you might picture someone who gorges on crawfish all day, taking nice breaks between bites and washing it down with a refreshing beer," she said. "But the reality is, it's not just about eating."
In a typical work scenario, Qu assesses the products' shape and color, identifies the multiple layers of tastes and textures of the cooked dish, records her findings and gives timely feedback to chefs.
"There are usually several things to watch out for: whether the frozen crawfish are well-preserved, whether they remain intact (especially the claws) after heating, and whether you can sense the numbing spiciness," she said.
