Imitation crab is made from surimi, which is fish flesh that has been deboned, washed, and minced into a paste. The paste is blended with other ingredients, heated, and pressed into shapes that mimic crab meat. The resulting imitation crab looks similar to the original crab in its coloring and texture.Imitation crab was invented in 1974 by Sugiyo Co. of Japan under the name “kanimam”. It has more sugar and less sodium than real crab.Some say imitation crab sticks are great as a snack on their own or in a soup, but not for crab-based sushi.