Crocodiles are large aquatic reptiles that live throughout the tropics and subtropical areas.
Crocodile has been known in China way back to more than 3,000 years ago. “Ben Cao Gang Mu” wrote: ‘Its meat is nourishing. It heals respiratory problems, imbalance in the body, evil moisture, intra-abdominal problems and malignant sore’. Ancient people had a comprehensive understanding of crocodile’s healing effects on asthma, coughing, rheumatism, physical deficiency, cardiac and intra-abdominal problems, malignant sore and tumor, etc.
Nowadays, crocodile is a controlled endangered animal under chapter 586 of “Protection of Endangered Species Regulations” in the laws of Hong Kong. Shops and retailers in Hong Kong must apply valid permit before making imports and selling crocodile products. Crocodile meat originated from Thailand has the highest quality. This is attributed to the strict monitoring system employed in the selection of crocodile species, crocodile slaughtering and bake-dried treatment, ensuring every process comply with the stipulated guideline on food hygiene and safety.
Crocodile meat is rich in nutrition. It contains plentiful proteins, amino acids unsaturated fatty acid, vitamin various micro-elements required by human body, but contains little fat. Crocodile body contains an optimized nucleic acid which replenishes vital energy and blood, increases physical strength and dissipates evil moisture after regular consumption. It is helpful in healing coughing, asthma, rheumatism, anemia and diabetes, etc.
Crocodile meat is nutritional and contains little fat, suitable for making dishes or soups. Since crocodile meat is beneficial to the health of respiratory system, it helps stop coughing, moisturize the lung and strengthen the body if being prepared as soup or cooked together with Chinese medicine, especially during changing weathers.
Selection
Good quality selection:
Crocodile meat originated from Thailand has the best quality. This is attributed to the strict monitoring system employed in the selection of crocodile species, crocodile slaughtering and bake-dried treatment, ensuring every process comply with the stipulated guideline on food hygiene and safety.
Crocodile meat is controlled under chapter 586 of “Protection of Endangered Species Regulations” in the laws of Hong Kong. To ensure buying of real crocodile meat, consumers should choose retailers that can provide proof of origin in compliance with “Endangered Wild Species International Trade Conventions”, and present permit issued by Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department of Hong Kong.
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Effect
According to “Ben Cao Gang Mu”, crocodile meat is nourishing. It heals respiratory problems, imbalance in the body, evil moisture, intra-abdominal problems and malignant sore’. Ancient people had a comprehensive understanding of crocodile’s healing effects on asthma, coughing, rheumatism, physical deficiency, cardiac and intra-abdominal problems, malignant sore and tumor, etc.
Crocodile meat is rich in nutrition. It contains plentiful proteins, amino acids unsaturated fatty acid, vitamin various micro-elements required by human body, but contains little fat. Crocodile body contains an optimized nucleic acid which replenishes vital energy and blood, increases physical strength and dissipates evil moisture after regular consumption. It is helpful in healing coughing, asthma, rheumatism, anemia and diabetes, etc.
Crocodile meat is rich in collagen which can maintain fine skin and complexion, increase elasticity of the skin, reduce or slow down the occurrence of wrinkles.
Crocodile meat is especially suitable for ailments due to body weakness or lung weakness:
| Weak person | Person with respiratory weakness |
| Susceptible to catching common cold | Susceptible to prolonged coughing, bronchial problems and asthma, especially during changing weathers |
Classification
Crocodile meat is classified according to its origin:
Crocodile meat available in Hong Kong market mainly comes from Thailand, Africa and China. Thailand product has the best quality among all because strict monitoring system is employed during the selection of crocodile species, crocodile slaughtering and bake-dried treatment, ensuring every process comply with the stipulated guideline on food hygiene and safety.
Assessment
Although crocodile meat is not a kind of delicacies from land and sea, housewives in Hong Kong love to use crocodile meat as soup ingredient, on the belief that it can help improve asthma and respiratory problems. The Consumer Council has made random inspection in the retail market from time to time to check if cheating occurs. The findings have revealed that only a few retailers are selling real crocodile meat. Unethical businessmen falsely claim the meat of monitor or snake as crocodile meat for sale. Therefore, it is strongly advised to buy crocodile meat from shops with good reputation. The following main points are given for customers to distinguish fake products so as to avoid money loss.
Observe the appearance carefully:
| Crocodile meat | Monitor meat | Snake meat | |
| Texture of meat | Irregular, curly | More regular, straight | More regular, straight |
| Colour | Pale, dark brown | Shiny, yellowish | Shiny, yellowish |
| Meat loaf | Small piece, elastic | Bigger piece, inelastic | Bigger piece, inelastic/td> |
| Scent (dried meat) | Meaty aroma | Fishy smell | Fishy smell |
| Chinese medicinal effect | Nourish liver and lung, dissolve phlegm and stop coughing | No medicinal efficacy | Drive out internal wind and dewetting |
Valid certificate and permit:
Export permit issued by Thailand government which bears the statement of “Endangered Wild Species International Trade Conventions”, certifying the origin and species of crocodile and so to protect the product quality. The importer in Hong Kong has to obtain permit issued by Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department. To protect their benefit, consumers can request for viewing of the export permit which bears the “Conventions” statement from the retailer, in order to verify the origin and species of the product.
Check on invoice description:
Some unethical businessmen use fake product made of monitor meat or snake meat in place of crocodile meat for sale. In observing “Trade Descriptions Ordinance” of Hong Kong, these people label the product or state on invoice with product names such as ‘Dried fish meat’ or ‘Nice fish meat’. Some of the shops even issue receipts without mentioning their company names. They only print the price on a small piece of white paper, not indicating the product name. Reputable shops in Hong Kong will affirm the product as crocodile meat on the invoice.
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Q&A
1.How to store crocodile meat?
Store in dry, cool and shaded place or refrigerated.
2.What is the preparation work before cooking crocodile meat?
Dried crocodile meat should be soaked with clean water before cooking.
3.Can pregnant women eat crocodile meat?
Pregnant women can eat crocodile meat. Crocodile meat has low fat content, is rich in collagen and has good therapeutic effect. It helps soothe asthma and dissolve phlegm, stop coughing and moisturize lung, nourish skin and beautify complexion. Regular consumption can replenish vital energy and blood, add physical strength and dissipate evil moisture. It assists in healing coughing, asthma, rheumatism, anemia and diabetes.
4.When purchasing dried crocodile meat, is it better to choose bigger size meat loaf?
Negative. Although crocodile is much bigger than monitor or snake, its bone structure is fully developed, limiting the size of each piece of meat that can be cut out. If you could buy a big piece of crocodile meat, mostly probably it is a fake one; since we can only cut out a big piece of meat from a snake.
