Indonesian Seafood Glazing: 2026 Cost & Compliance Guide

A hands-on guide to glaze percentage, deglazed weight testing, labeling for EU/US/SNI, sampling on arrival, cost-per-edible-kg math, and contract language buyers can use with Indonesian frozen shrimp in 2026.

If you buy Indonesian frozen shrimp, a few percentage points of ice glaze can swing your true cost and your compliance risk. We’ve seen buyers pay up to 12% more per edible kilo without realizing it. And regulators in the EU and US aren’t lenient when net weight includes water. Here’s a practical, 2026-ready playbook we use with customers so you can specify, test and pay for the shrimp you actually receive.

What counts as net weight for glazed shrimp in 2026?

Net weight is the edible product weight after removing protective ice glaze. Water glaze is packaging protection, not product. That’s the baseline across the EU, US and Indonesia’s export oversight.

Does EU law require net weight to exclude glaze water?

Yes. Under EU food information rules, declared net weight for glazed seafood must exclude the protective ice coating. Many member states also expect a separate indication of glaze percentage at pack. We recommend stating both “Net weight (without glaze)” and “Glaze x% at packing” on retail and foodservice labels destined for the EU.

What about US FDA and enforcement?

US net quantity rules require net weight excluding ice glaze. Inspectors and weights-and-measures officials typically follow the NIST Handbook 133 method to remove glaze before weighing. If your label net includes water, you’re out of spec.

SNI labeling and BKIPM export checks

Indonesia’s SNI labeling framework and BKIPM export inspection expect “berat bersih” to reflect product weight, not ice. For glazed items, auditors look for clear net declarations and consistency between pallets, cartons and inner packs. For Indonesian-language packs, use “Berat bersih (tanpa lapisan es)” plus the glaze statement.

Takeaway: Wherever it’s sold, treat glaze as separate from net weight. Label net as deglazed weight and state nominal glaze at pack.

What’s an acceptable glaze percentage now?

Protective glaze stops dehydration and oxidation in frozen transit. The right percentage depends on format and route length.

• IQF shrimp for mixed-retail distribution: 6–10% glaze at pack. We aim for 7–8% for most vannamei sizes.
• Block-frozen shrimp for long-transit export: 8–12% at pack. Above 12% is rarely necessary unless you have extreme cold-chain risk.
• Overglazing beyond 15–20% usually signals either poor cold-chain planning or an attempt to inflate apparent net. In many markets you’ll face pushback or penalties.

In our experience, the sweet spot for IQF shrimp landing in the EU or US is 7–9%. That’s enough protection without confusing the invoice math.

How do I calculate net weight after removing glaze?

Use a simple deglazing test. It’s quick and defensible.

A 10-minute deglazing SOP you can copy

Equipment: calibrated scale, timer, thermometer, sieve or perforated tray, paper towels, clean running water.

1. Condition the sample. Keep the pack at -18 °C to -12 °C until testing. Note pack temperature.

2. Weigh the frozen unit in packaging if necessary. Then remove the product from packaging and record the glazed gross weight (Wg).

3. Remove the glaze. Rinse under a gentle stream of cool water (10–20 °C) while rotating the pieces until all visible ice is gone. Don’t thaw the shrimp. This step usually takes 30–90 seconds for IQF, longer for blocks.

4. Drain. Place shrimp in a sieve or on a perforated tray for 2 minutes. Blot surface moisture lightly with paper towel. No squeezing.

5. Weigh deglazed product (Wd). Take the reading immediately after draining.

6. Calculate glaze percentage. Glaze % = (Wg − Wd) ÷ Wg × 100.

Run duplicate tests for each unit and average the results. If you’re receiving blocks, split and test both core and outer portions; outer surfaces carry more glaze.

Tip: Keep water temperature logs and photos of pre/post deglaze. They’re gold when resolving claims.

How many cartons should I sample on arrival?

Here’s a practical plan that balances confidence with speed. Adjust for lot size and risk.

• Define a lot as one species/size/brand/production date from one supplier.
• For container lots up to 1,000 cartons: sample 8–12 retail or foodservice units drawn from at least 6 different cartons spread across the container. For bulk blocks, sample 6–8 blocks across at least 6 cartons.
• For larger or high-risk lots: increase to 16–24 units from 12 cartons. Many QA teams mirror NIST-style minimums of 12 consumer units.
• Acceptance. Compare the average glaze to your spec and check the range. We allow a unit-to-unit variance of ±2 percentage points around the target, provided the average meets spec.

If you consistently see outer-tier cartons testing higher glaze, ask your supplier to audit the glazing tunnel and post-freeze handling.

How a 10–20% glaze changes your true price per edible kilo

What you pay is often quoted per pack or gross weight. Your real metric is cost per edible kilogram: Price per edible kg = Pack price ÷ deglazed weight in kg.

Examples for a 1.00 kg pack priced at $7.00:

• 10% glaze. Net edible = 0.90 kg. $7.00 ÷ 0.90 = $7.78 per edible kg. That’s an 11.1% uplift.
• 15% glaze. Net edible = 0.85 kg. $7.00 ÷ 0.85 = $8.24 per edible kg. 17.7% uplift.
• 20% glaze. Net edible = 0.80 kg. $7.00 ÷ 0.80 = $8.75 per edible kg. 25% uplift.

Do this math before you approve a PO. We keep an internal calculator that converts quote price and target glaze into cost-per-edible-kilo for quick apples-to-apples comparisons. If you want a spreadsheet version, Contact us on whatsapp and we’ll share our template.

What label wording should I use to show net weight excluding glaze?

Here are minimalist, regulator-friendly examples. Adjust units and languages per market.

• EU retail pack. “Net weight (without glaze): 1,000 g. Protective glaze: 8% at packing.”
• US foodservice bag. “Net Wt 2 lb (907 g). Contains protective ice glaze 8% at pack. Net weight excludes glaze.”
• Indonesia bilingual. “Berat bersih (tanpa lapisan es): 1,000 g. Persentase glas: ±8% saat pengemasan.”

We also list a glaze tolerance, for example “±2% at pack,” and ensure the net weight is the deglazed weight. Our own Frozen Shrimp (Black Tiger, Vannamei & Wild Caught) labels follow this format.

Contract language to prevent overglazing

Put it in writing. A few lines protect your margins and cut debate.

• Net weight and glaze. “Net weight excludes protective ice glaze and free ice. Target glaze for IQF shrimp: 8% ±2% at pack.”
• Test method. “Glaze verification by NIST Handbook 133 or equivalent AOAC deglazing method. Water temp 10–20 °C, 2-minute drain.”
• Sampling. “Buyer to sample minimum 12 consumer units from 6+ cartons per lot on arrival. Average glaze to meet spec. Unit variance ±2% allowed.”
• Remedies. “If average glaze exceeds spec by >2 percentage points, seller to credit overage based on deglazed weight or authorize rework at seller’s cost.”
• Disclosure. “Label to state ‘Net weight (without glaze)’ and ‘Glaze x% at pack.’”

These clauses are simple, measurable and fair. They also align with how EU/US inspectors think.

What can I do if my Indonesian shrimp shipment is overglazed?

Move fast and document everything.

1. Hold and test. Segregate affected pallets. Run deglaze tests with photos, timestamps and water temperature logs.
2. Notify supplier with evidence. Share your data set and method. Keep the tonality solutions-oriented.
3. Third-party survey. For large variances or impasse, appoint an independent surveyor. We work with buyers on joint inspections in-port.
4. Agree remedy. Credit based on deglazed shortfall, selective rework, or price adjustment on future lots. In our experience, data closes 3 out of 4 disputes without escalation.

If this happens repeatedly, audit the glazing tunnel, dwell time and conveyor speed. Overglaze is often a process-control issue, not malice.

When this advice applies (and when it doesn’t)

Use this guide for raw or cooked frozen shrimp with protective ice glaze, IQF or block. It also applies to other finfish and cephalopods when sold glazed. We use the same approach on products like Goldband Snapper Fillet where glazed-frozen is an option.

Don’t use this protocol for breaded, sauced or brined products. Those follow different net content rules. If moisture binders like phosphates are used, validate a separate soak gain and declare accordingly.

Our 2026 reality check and what we recommend

• Spec smart. IQF shrimp at 7–9% glaze for EU/US. Blocks at 8–12% only when transit risk is high.
• Label clearly. Always “Net weight (without glaze)” plus the glaze percentage at pack. Add a small tolerance band.
• Test consistently. Adopt the SOP above. Sample at least 12 units across 6 cartons per lot and log water temperature and drain time.
• Price per edible kilo. Don’t sign quotes until you’ve run the edible-kg math. It changes buying decisions.

We’ve baked these controls into our Indonesian production lines. If you need shrimp that arrive on-spec and on-label, our Frozen Shrimp (Black Tiger, Vannamei & Wild Caught) program is set up with glaze targets, NIST-aligned QC and BKIPM-ready labeling. Want benchmark data or a copy of our receiving SOP? View our products and tell us what lot size you’re planning. We’re happy to share a template and tailor a testing plan to your routes.