While the ingredients and methods are similar between countries, differences can be noted in terms of elasticity, colour, and flavour.

Fish balls in Hong Kong and the Philippines can be more firm, darker, and have more fishy taste and aroma than their Malay and Singaporean counterparts.

[6] Typically fish are shredded, coarsely ground, or pounded, then undergo prolonged mixing with added salt and crushed ice until a smooth texture is attained.

This technique, similar to the process of making surimi, uncoils and stretches previously wound and tangled protein strands in the fish, which produces food with a firm "bouncy" texture.

[7] In commercial production, the balls are shaped by an extruding machine, and set in water between 30 and 45 C. before boiling, cooling, then packaging.

[4]: 287, 291  The setting time is an important part of manufacture because in addition to giving the balls a translucent appearance, the shape will be maintained after packaging.

[9] Fish balls are perishable, and have a different shelf life based on the amount of processing and the inclusion of additives.

[12] A 2013–2016 study in the Philippines that identified the genetic code of a variety of fish balls concluded that large, well-established companies generally adhered to labelling standards, but unknown, small producers typically supplying street hawkers revealed seafood balls that contained pig or chicken meat.

The study also identified seafood balls containing pig DNA, although none of the samples were labeled as a halal or kosher food, which would pose a significant concern for the country's Muslim population.

[16] Tengxin Foods (Fujian) is one of China's largest fish ball factories, with a 30% market share.

[4]: 289 Fish balls are one of Hong Kong's most popular and representative "street foods",[17] eaten plain or cooked in a curry sauce.

[18][19] Readily available in traditional markets and supermarkets, fish balls are also a popular ingredient in hot pot.

Production scale varies from individual hawker stalls to large corporate factories which supply the local and export markets.

Gefilte fish, typical of Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine, has origins in 14th century non-Jewish Germanic cookery.

Originally a stuffed fish dish, it suited the dietary cultural needs for Jewish celebrations, being an acceptable form of meat as well as already deboned which adheres to the restriction on picking through bones on the Sabbath.

Jewish communities have their own versions based on local ingredients, such as the addition of sugar in Poland, black pepper in Lithuania, and cooking it in a tomato sauce in Libya.

[37] "The Lone Fish-ball" was published in 1855 by George Martin Lane referencing this type of fish ball popular in New England.

[38] Italian fish balls, known locally as polpette di pesce, are fried with Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs, and usually served with a tomato sauce.

Fish balls are known as boulettes de poisson in Francophone African countries, and are commonly eaten in a tomato-based stew known as 'tchou' or 'chu' a Senegalese dish mainly known in Mauritania, Mali and The Gambia.