【Reading】てんねんもの

【English Name】Wild-caught

In the world of sushi and fresh fish, "tennen-mono" (wild-caught) refers broadly to all animals and plants that grew up on their own in the sea, rivers, or mountains and fields without being farmed. It is the antonym of "yoshoku-mono" (farmed), and distinguishing between the two is an everyday matter in the sushi trade.

This distinction is especially emphasized for fish species whose farming techniques are well established—such as sea bream, pufferfish, yellowtail, eel, scallop, oyster, and kuruma prawn. Wild individuals swim across wide stretches of ocean and feed on a great variety of prey, so their muscle becomes firm and their umami and flavor tend to gain depth. Wild fish in season carry a moderate amount of fat, and their qualities can be fully enjoyed as sashimi or nigiri.

However, wild fish present difficulties in managing freshness and assessing nutritional condition, and they carry a higher risk of parasites than farmed fish. In addition, catches are easily affected by sea and weather conditions, so both supply volume and price fluctuate widely.

Many sushi chefs rank wild fish above farmed, but advances in aquaculture technology are narrowing the quality gap year by year. Moreover, even wild fish vary greatly in taste depending on the individual's condition, the skill of the live-killing (ikejime), and the degree of aging. It is worth keeping in mind that "wild therefore always delicious" is not necessarily true.

Note that the meaning of the term differs by reading: pronounced "tennen-butsu," it refers to the naturally derived compounds dealt with in natural product chemistry. When discussing ingredients, the customary reading is "tennen-mono."