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Black Squid Head with Tentacle (Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis) — Easyseafood

Black Squid Head with Tentacle in this product refers to the black squid Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis (black squid) cut into the head-with-tentacle portion — the head (with eyes) plus the attached arms/tentacles, separated from the mantle (body tube). "Head with tentacle" is a cut / portion, not a species or size grade. The mantle is removed and sold separately; the head+arms complex is supplied as one piece. Other squid species (e.g. Todarodes pacificus, Illex argentinus, Dosidicus gigas) can be substituted per buyer spec, but the catalog default is Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis.

What It Is

Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis (black squid) is a widely distributed tropical/subtropical squid of the open ocean, and a major target of Chinese distant-water squid-jigging fleets in the high seas of the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean. For this product it is caught wild, then processed into the head-with-tentacle cut: the mantle (body tube) is detached from the head, and the head together with its arms/tentacles is kept as a single portion. Supplied HOSO (head-on) with the ink sac and viscera typically removed (or by spec), then frozen by BQF (block, for bulk reprocessing) or IQF (individually, for retail/portion packs) with a protective glaze. The tentacles crisp up when fried and the head is tender — making this cut a favorite for fried squid, street-food skewers, soups and secondary processing.

Key Features

Wild-caught Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis (black squid) — catalog default species
Head-with-tentacle cut — head + attached arms kept as one piece; mantle removed
Typically de-inked / viscera-removed (or per spec); HOSO head-on
Supplied BQF block or IQF single-frozen
Protective ice glaze 5–20% (BQF typically higher than IQF) to prevent freezer burn
Tentacles crisp when fried; head tender — high yield for frying and snack applications
Economical portion vs whole squid or mantle tubes

Applications

Fried squid (crispy tentacles): deep-fried head+tentacle for snacks, pubs and street food — the tentacles crisp, the head stays tender
Asian stir-fry & soup: quick-cooked in sauces, or added to seafood soup / hot pot
Skewer & grill: prepped head+tentacle for barbecue and steamboat
Reprocessing: by cutting plants into tentacle-only, rings, strips or mince

Certifications

MSC — applicable for certified wild fisheries (squid is wild-caught)

ASC / BAP / GLOBALG.A.P. — NOT applicable (these are aquaculture standards; squid is not farmed commercially)

HACCP / BRC / IFS / ISO 22000 — food-safety systems for processing

HALAL / KOSHER — available on request

Storage

Frozen at -18 °C or below. Typical shelf life 18–24 months under unbroken cold chain. Thaw in refrigerator; do not refreeze after thawing. Keep glaze intact until use.

FAQ

Q1. What is "squid head with tentacle" and how is it different from whole squid? A. It is a cut: the mantle (body tube) is removed and the head plus its attached arms/tentacles is supplied as one piece. Whole squid includes the mantle; "head with tentacle" is the front portion only. This is a portioning choice, not a species change — the catalog default species is still the black squid Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis. Confirm "head-with-tentacle, mantle off" on the specification sheet to avoid receiving whole squid.

Q2. Is squid a fish, a crustacean, or a shellfish? A. Squid is a mollusc of the class Cephalopoda (head-footed) — neither a fish, nor a crustacean (shrimp/crab/lobster), nor a bivalve (clam/mussel/scallop). This matters for taxonomy, HS classification and food-safety documentation.

Q3. What HS code applies to frozen squid head with tentacle? A. HS 0307.43 — "Squids (Ommastrephidae, Loliginidae, etc.), frozen." This 6-digit code covers frozen squid in all forms — whole, head-only, or head-with-tentacle — including Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis. Do not use 0307.42 (live/fresh/chilled squid) or 0307.49 (other molluscs). If breaded or prepared, the code shifts to Chapter 16 — 1605.54.

Q4. Is "head with tentacle" the same as "tentacle only"? A. No. "Head with tentacle" keeps the head (with eyes) and the arms/tentacles together as one piece. "Tentacle only" / "arms only" is a further separation where the head is discarded and just the arms are packed. Specify which you want — head-with-tentacle is the more complete, economical cut; tentacle-only is the premium frying item. Both can be supplied from the same Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis line.

Q5. BQF or IQF — which should I choose? A. BQF (block-frozen) is lower-cost and suited to cutting plants that reprocess in bulk (pieces stick together, thaw before cutting). IQF (individually quick-frozen) keeps pieces separate for retail/portion use but costs more. Both use the same head-with-tentacle cut; choose by your downstream operation.

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