Ways of Processing Fish Products
and other Aquatic Animal
Fish Processing
Refers to the processes associated with fish and fish products between
the time fish are caught or harvested, and the time the final product is
delivered to the customer.
The word fish is commonly used to describe all forms of edible finfish,
mollusks (e.g., clams and oysters), and crustaceans (e.g., crabs and
lobsters) that inhabit an aquatic environment.
Fish have been a major source of food for humankind since before
recorded history.
Salting
is the process that lowers the
moisture or water content of fish
and other fishery products to a point
where microorganisms cannot live
and grow.
Three Basic Methods of Applying
Salt to Preserve Fish
1. Pickle Salting
2. Brine Salting
3. Dry Salting
Steps in Salting
1. Place the fish either in crushed ice or frozen brine.
2. Remove the fins
3. Remove the head (optional).
4. Split the fish along the dorsal section. Spread it open.
5. Remove the internal organs such as the intestines.
6. Take out the black membrane of the fish.
7. Wash the fish thoroughly and drain it a little.
8. Rub the fish well with salt.
9. Arrange the fish in a container. Place the container inside
a refrigerator.
Drying
This method is also known as natural dehydration. Like the
salting method, it lowers the water content of the fish to a point
where microorganisms, bacteria, enzymes, and yeasts cannot
grow and multiply. Fish dried under the sun look and taste
better.
Steps in Drying
1. Wash the fish thoroughly.
2. Soak the fish in 10% brine solution for 1/2 hour to draw out the
blood.
3. Squeeze or open the belly cavity. Remove the visceral or internal
organs.
4. Soak the fish for 3-6 hours in a concentrated brine solution to
partially draw out the moisture or water content of the fish.
5. Place the salted fish in drying trays and dry it under the sun.
6. When the fish are thoroughly dried, pack them and store them in a
clean, dry place.
Smoking
This method combines
with salting, precooking,
and drying. The final
process is smoking,
which dehydrates the fish
further. The smokes
gives color and flavor to
the fish.
Steps in Smoking
1. Clean the fish by removing the gills and make 1/2 inch slit in the fish
belly. Wash the fish thoroughly with clean water.
2. Soak the fish in a brine solution (1 part of salt to 10 parts of water)
for 20 or more minutes, depending on the size of the fish.
3. Place the fish in the immersion basket made of woven bamboo strips
or wire netting. The basket will be suspended during the immersion
in boiling brine. Cook for 2-4 minutes or more, depending on the
size of the fish.
Steps in Smoking
4. Drain the fish. Allow them to cool after being cooked in brine
solution. Place it in a layer of wire screen (rattan or bamboo) and
have it dried in a cool and shady place.
5. Smoke the fish in tin cans for 1 to 2 hours until it gets golden brown.
the length of smoking actually differs, depending on the size of the
fish and the smoke produced.
6. Packed the smoked fish in coarsely woven bamboo baskets. Line
the sides and bottom of the baskets with old newspaper. Cool the
fish completely before packing them to allow moisture to escape and
prevent the attack of mold and bacteria.
Canning
Canning is relatively modern process, which enable food to be
preserved in an edible condition under a wide range of storage
condition for long period (from a few months to several years.)
There are three different stages to the process:
• Hermetically sealing the food in a container
• Heat ‘sterilizing’ the sealed unit and
• Cooling it to ambient temperature for subsequent storage.
Steps of fish canning:
1. Remove the scales of the fish.
2. Remove the internal organs. Cut off the head and the tail of the
fish.
3. Cut the cleaned fish to fit the size of the can to be used.
4. For 30 minutes, soak the fish in 20% brine solution.
5. Half-fry the fish in oil.
Steps of fish canning:
6. Fill each can with half-fried fish. Leave about 1/4 inch space. Add a
tablespoonful of corn oil and tomato sauce. Do not add salt because the
fish has been brined.
7. Sealed the filled cans temporarily. Use the first roll operation of the can
sealer.
8. For 10 minutes, stem the clinched cans without pressure to exhaust the air
inside the cans. Then, seal the can completely.
9. For 45 minutes, process the sealed cans at a 15 lb. pressure using the can
sealer.
10. Immediately, cool the processed cans in running water.
Pickling
Pickling is a method of preserving
food in brine or vinegar. It can be
done with or without bacterial
fermentation.
Steps in Pickling
1. After fresh fish is cleaned and cut, you should soak the fillets in a
weak brine made up of one cup salt to one gallon of water for one
hour.
2. Drain the fish and pack it in a heavy glass, enamel, or plastic
container in a strong brine made up of two-and-a-half cups salt to
one gallon of water for 12 hours in the refrigerator.
3. Rinse the fish in cold water.
Steps in Pickling
4. Combine a quarter-ounce bay leaves, two tablespoons allspice, two
tablespoons mustard seed, 1 tablespoon whole cloves, one
tablespoon ground pepper, half a tablespoon of ground dried hot
pepper, one-half pound of sliced onions, two quarts distilled vinegar,
and five cups of water in a large pan or kettle to prepare up to 10
pounds of fish.
5. Bring the mixture to a boil, add the fish, and simmer for 10 minutes
or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
6. Remove the fish from the liquid and place in a single layer on a flat
pan. Refrigerate and cool quickly to prevent spoilage.
Steps in Pickling
7. Pack the cold fish in clean glass jars. Add a few whole spices, bay
leaves, freshly sliced onions, and slices of lemon to every jar.
8. Strain the vinegar solution and bring to a boil.
9. Pour the vinegar solution into the jars until fish is covered.
[Link] the jar immediately with a two-part sealing lid and store fish in
the refrigerator as soon as possible. Pickled fish taste best when
used within four to six weeks, and it should be stored in the
refrigerator at no higher than 40º F.
Fermentation
Fermentation is a fish preservation method in which fish in brine
solution undergo chemical reaction. Bagoong is the most popular
fermented product in the Philippines.
Steps in Fermentation
1. Clean the fresh alamang well. Remove sticks, shells, seaweeds, and other
materials.
2. Wash the alamang in a weak brine solution (1 part of salt to 9 parts of water).
Drain it well. Cover the container while draining the alamang to keep flies
away.
3. Mix alamang thoroughly with salt ( 1 part of salt to 3 parts of alamang).
4. Place the alamang-salt mixture in a clean container.
5. Store the bagoong in a clean, warm place.
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