We Are Committed to Good Food and a Healthy Planet
STRINGENT ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS. We follow stringent environmental standards. From the start, we have monitored local fishing trends and insisted on ecologically sound crabbing techniques. Noting the disastrous effects of over-fishing in the Chesapeake Bay, we require our fishermen to maintain small catches and avoid overexpansion of their fishing grounds.
MINIMUM SIZE. The capture of small and immature crabs has a harmful effect on reproduction rates and causes population levels to decline, as they have in many areas around the world. We insist that crabs measuring less than the Virginia 5" minimum be released unharmed. The relative size of the crab can be measured by the size of its Jumbo Lump pieces. Small pieces of lump crab meat are an indication that immature crabs have been harvested, with potentially devastating effects on the crab population.
SAFE ADDITIVES -- MINIMAL QUANTITIES. Our philosophy has always been that less is more when it comes to additives. Our brine solution contains sea salt and citric acid for freshness. We add disodium phosphate to prevent the formation of harmless struvite crystals that sometimes form in canned crab and other seafood; and to prevent blue discoloration, a natural result of oxidation of copper ions in the crab’s circulatory system. We find disodium phosphate to be the safest, most effective, and least disruptive to the natural fresh flavor of crab meat. According to the US FDA, disodium phosphate is Generally Regarded As Safe. The ‘GRAS’ designation applies to time-tested and trusted ingredients with a proven track record for safety.
OUR COMMITMENT. Our family is committed to the responsible harvest of wild seafood and respect for natural ecosystems. We stand firmly behind our pledge of superior quality, peak freshness, and state-of-the-art packaging.