Ethnic Seafoods in the

Philippines

AquaSci16/SNNUAL

Introduction
Seafoods conversion and utility should be made in
the best possible way, and in the form that is
acceptable to consumers (Clucas, 1981), and using
methods that are environment friendly.
It is now possible to convert, modify, improve and
upgrade fish into products, that they are better
preserved, safer to eat, and more attractive to
consumers (Clucas, 1981).

Introduction
Old Paradigm
Preservation and processing will commence
only if there is seafood surplus.
New Paradigm
Provision of available food alternatives
through preservation and processing.

Introduction
Realm and scope of postharvest fisheries is
redefined, as from the time the fish is out of
its natural environment, to the time that the
fish is eaten by consumers.
Postharvest fisheries is what happens in
between.

Introduction
Seafoods are normally highly perishable.
In the Philippines, convenience foods and
ready to-eat foods has not evolved.
There are still problems on power
interruptions, coupled with refrigeration
facilities unavailability.
Thus, what evolved are seafoods that are
common, traditional and use simple processing
methods; drying, smoking and fermentation.

Introduction
Philippine seafoods are called locally as
traditional fishery products.
In foreign markets, however, they are
commonly termed as ethnic seafoods.

Ethnic Seafoods

1. Salting/Salted Fish
Earliest techniques for preserving fish
Preserves by lowering moisture content of
the fish
Spoilage organisms cannot survive at 6-8%
salt content (Espejo-Hermes, 1998)
Applied in combination with other
methods

Solar salt vs Mined salt

evaporation of
SW by sun

From underground
deposits or dried
up salt lakes

Chemical composition of
salt

Factors influencing salt

penetration
Fat and protein content
Fat acts as barrier
higher protein, higher WHC
Thickness of flesh
Purity of the salt
Temperature during salting
Freshness of fish

Methods of Salting
Dry Salting or
Kench salting
Rubbing fish with salt,
drained and packed
Recommended for lean
fish

Methods of Salting
Wet Salting

Brining or pickle curing

Fish is placed in a saturated solution of salt and water
Pre-processing for drying, smoking, canning
Fish must be covered with liquid as rapidly as
possible

Manufactured products
1. Kench-cured
fish
- mackerels,
sardines and
other small fish

Manufactured products
2. Visayan Salted/ Fermented Fish (Tinabal)
-

Commonly used spp are frigate tuna and parrot fish

Main dish added to vegetable or fried and sauted with tomatoes

Manufactured products
3. Shrimp cake/ Bagoong
alamang/guinamos

Belacan of Malaysia

Lengkare of Indonesia

Kapi of Thailand

Ngapi yay of Myanmar

4. Salted Sea Urchin

Spoilage of Salted Fish

pink or reddening
Pseudomonas salinaria and Sarcina littoralis
Dun
Sliming
Souring
Salt burn
putty fish

2. Fish Drying
Drying is one of the simplest form of fish
preservation.
Drying is defined as the removal of
moisture through heat.
Drying vs dehydration
Normally, salt or brine solution is added
to fish prior to the drying process.

Fundamentals of drying
Water Activity (Aw) ratio of the vapor pressure in
the product to that of pure water
In foodstuff, the amount of free water or
available water to support biological activity
Bacteria- will not grow at Aw of 0.9 or below
Molds- 0.8
Moisture- may be expressed as wet and dry basis,
salt-free or fat free

Water content

Phases of drying
1. Constant rate zone
- water on or near the surface evaporates
- Drying continues at a constant rate
equivalent to the rate of evaporation
from a free water surface
- Influenced by surface area of the fish,
RH of the air, Temperature, product
thickness and salt content
2. Falling rate zone
- Water on or near surface has already
evaporated
- Characterized by a slowly decreasing
rate of drying

Drying Theory
Constant Drying Rate Period
MOISTURE MIGRATION

HOT AIR

Drying Theory
First Falling Drying Rate Period

SATURATED SURFACES

Drying Theory
Second Falling Drying Rate Period

Drying System of Equations

AIR ENTHALPHY BALANCE

For a unidirectional heat transfer across a control volume,
the air enthalpy balance is,
= - ha(SA)
x
Gca + GcvW

(3)

PRODUCT ENTHALPHY BALANCE

q = ha(SA) (T - q) + (hfg + cv(T - q)) G W
t
rpcp
rpcp
x

(5)

MOISTURE MASS BALANCE

W = -rpMC
x
G t

(7)

PRODUCT EQUATION

Assuming constant properties, with no internal heat generation, the conduction equation for
a slab is (Incropera and Dewitt, 1985),
1 q
a t

2q + 2q
x2
y2

(10)

Assuming that moisture diffuses to the surface of the food, and that evaporation takes
place only at the surface ( Sokhansaj and Bruce, 1987),
-kA q
x |x =X

= Aha(T - Ts) + Vpr (hfg + cv (T - Ts)) cp

(11)
t

DRYING RATE EQUATION

dM = -P2Dl (M - EMC)
dt
4d2 DM

(13)

EMC EQUATION
EMC = B2(Aw/(1-Aw))B1

(14)

Types of dried fishery products

1. Dried in the round or whole fish
- Made from small pelagic fishes like sardines and anchovies

Types of dried fishery products

2. Split-salted fish
- Popular species are threadfin bream, mackerel, milkfish,
rabbitfish, scads

Dried rabbit fish or danggit

Dried round scad or galunggong

Dried Fishery Products

Species that are normally dried:
Anchovies
Solefish Fry
Small shrimps
Rabbit fish
Grouper
Macherel
Tuna and etc.

Typical Fish Drying Process

FISH

CLEANING, GUTTING, WASHING

SOAKING IN BRINE or SALTING

DRY UNDER THE SUN

COOLING AND PACKING

Figure . General Steps in Drying Fish

Typical Fish Drying Process

Process takes 2 days to 1 week. Dried fish has 10
15 % salt, and will keep for 1 - 2 mos.
The advantages for drying fish includes:
savings in space
weight savings during transport, storage and
packaging
fish quality is preserved and microbial spoilage is
reduced (Borgstrom, 1950).

Methods of drying

Madagascar

Methods of drying
Natural drying methods use the combination of
sun and dry wind action, with or without the
use of any equipment.
Air or contact drying
Sun-drying methods
Solar drying

Methods of drying
Hot Air Dryers
In hot air dyers, air at constant temperature is
directed over the fish, at a constant speed, thereby
accelerating the drying process.
Heat sources:
Agro-wastes or dried bio-materials; e.g. rice husks,
coco husk, firewood, and etc.
Charcoal
LPG

Rice husks heater

Developments in product forms

1. Marinated Dried Milkfish

2. Splitted & De-boned Dried Anchovies

3. Dried Fishbones

4. Re-packaging of Dried Sardines

Bottled Dried Sardine in Olive Oil

Addressing mold growth problems

1. BHT(butylated hydroxytoluene) and Sodium
Benzoate Mix
Use 0.01% BHT and 0.5% Sodium Benzoate
Prepare the mixture, and use as dips for fish before
smoking. After brining, dip fish for 10- 15 mins.
Shelf life is extended by 30 days
2. Sorbic Acid Solution
Use 0.5% sorbic acid solution. After brining, dip fish
for 10 15 mins.

Current trends & studies

EU will cut its processed foods salt & MSG levels by
50%
Low salt drying
Reducing the salt, would mean also elevating the Aw,
in effect encouraging fungal growth. The salt
reduction should be augmented by anti-fungal solution
dips or methods that would address the effects of salt.
Reduction of water activity, Aw, could also be
achieved through the addition of sugars.

3. Fish Smoking
Smoking is one of the oldest form of fish
preservation.
Smoked fish has 2 3% salt.
Smoking enhances product palatibility because of the
developed smoked flavor and odor.
Smoked products are shelf-stable for 4 - 7 days at 300
C. If refrigeration is invoked, shelf life is
appropriately extended.

Fish Smoking Principles

Salting
Partial de-watering/ removal of moisture
Addition of smoked chemicals that act as
preservatives

Fish Smoking Process

FISH

CLEANING, GUTTING, WASHING

SOAKING IN BRINE

PRE-COOKING IN WEAK BRINE

SMOKING UNTIL GOLDEN BROWN

COOLING AND PACKING

Figure . General Steps in Smoke-Curing of Fish

Smoked Fishery Products

Species that are normally smoked:
Milkfish(Chanos chanos)
Tilapia (O. nilotica, O. spp.)
Barracuda
Nemeptirids (Galunggong)
Macherel (Alumahan)

Smoked Fishery Products

Methods of Fish Smoking

Hot smoking process;
In-process cooking
Cold smoking process
Addition of liquid
smoke

Fish Smoking Equipment & Implements

1. Clay pot (pelon) single
unitof clay container
2. Drum type- made from
standard 44-gallon drum
3. Variation of drum types
drums+concrete frames
4. Concrete type
5. Concrete type with metal
chambers
6. Mechanical

Current trends & studies

Smoked chemicals with health implications
PAH are known to be carcinogenic; e.g.
benzo pyrene (BP)
PAH are found in smoked fish
PAH could be controlled or scrubbed- off
from the smoked chemicals prior to depo
sition to the products

Current trends & studies

Control of PAH
1.

2.

3.

4.

Higher temperature are necessary to form PAH. Thus,

lowering the combustion temperature has been shown
to lower PAH in the smoke.
Filtration or cooling of smoke also lower the PAH
concentration.
After smoking treatment from wood smoke, the PAH are
located in the surface layer of the product. Removal o
f the surface reduces the PAH.
Electrostatic precipitation