ISSN- 2394-5125 VOL 7, ISSUE 19, 2020 ACCEPTABILITY ANALYSIS OF AN INDIGENOUS GOBY FISH SAUCE Bersheeba Briones Lang-ayan Instructor 1, College of Teacher Education, Abra State Institute of Sciences and Technology Main Campus, Lagangilang, Abra, Philippines [email protected] ABSTRACT The study aimed to find out which among the three varied sizes of Goby fish added with various levels of salt is best in bagoong making. The Goby fish was mixed with certain amount of salt and placed in a sterilized jar. The experimental design used was the Complete Randomized Design (CRD) involving factorial arrangement of treatments in three replications. In this study, there were four levels of salt and three sizes of goby fish with twelve treatment combinations per replication. They were replicated three times. The treatments were 25g salt, 50g salt, 75g salt and 100g salt. Treatment 2 (50g Goby fish added with 50g salt) was preferred in terms of taste, aroma, acceptability and salinity which consistently rated as Extremely Like. Treatment 1(50g Goby fish added with 25g salt), however is the most profitable with the highest Return on Investment (ROI). KEYWORDS: Goby Fish, Bagoong (Fish Sauce), Taste, Aroma, Acceptability, Salinity I. INTRODUCTION Today we are confronted with the problem of balancing our family income because of the high prices of our basic needs as well as other items needed in our daily living. While it is true that in our midst abundant indigenous materials are available which could be tapped as substitute to our basic needs, technical know-how and human efforts have not gone far in the experimentation of these resources. In Abra, we have abundant goby fish in our fresh water or in our rivers. To make it different from commercial bagoong, the researcher intends to study the quality of bagoong using goby fish particularly the fresh water goby or the “Palileng” which is to be added with different levels of salt. For this matter, the researcher is challenged to make fish sauce out of “Palileng” which is available in the place. “Palileng” is abundant during summer season and can be found along the Abra River, the sixth largest river system in the Philippines in terms of watershed size. Using local materials like this will lessen the price of the finished products. The results of this study will provide information on nutritional composition of this kind of fish. Making it at home, produce their own bagoong for family consumption, one can give it away to friends, and perhaps sell in the local area and for a little extra money; people could earn enough to support themselves or their families. This can also be a step forward in the industrial production of Goby bagoong. According to Balcombe (2016) Goby is any of the more than 2,200 species of fishes of the suborder Gobioidei (order Perciformes). Gobies are carnivorous, usually small in size, and found throughout the world. Especially abundant in the tropics, they are primarily marine in habit. Most species are bottom-dwellers and have a weak suction cup formed by the fusion of their pelvic fins. The dwarf pygmy goby or Philippine goby (Pandaka pygmaea) is a tropical species of fish in the family Gobiidae from brackish water and mangrove areas in Southeast Asia. It is one of the smallest fish species in the world. (World Conservation Monitoring Centre, 1996) Bagoong or simply bugguong in Ilocano, (National Research Council, 1992) is a common ingredient used in the Philippines and particularly in Northern Ilocano cuisine. It is made by fermenting salted fish which is not designed, nor customarily used for immediate consumption since it is completely raw. Therefore, it is used as a cooking ingredient, upon when it is cooked alone; it can be used as an accompaniment to traditional food dishes. 7922 ISSN- 2394-5125 VOL 7, ISSUE 19, 2020 To most Westerners unfamiliar with this condiment, the smell can be extremely repulsive. Bagoong is however, an essential ingredient in many curries and sauces. The odor is unique and smells strongly of fish. Bagoong is used as a flavor enhancing agent, in place of salt, soy sauce, or monosodium glutamate. It is used in creating the fish stock that is the base for many Ilocano dishes, like pinakbet, or as a dressing to greens in the dish called kinilnat or ensalada. Bagoong is also used as a condiment, in many cases, a dipping sauce for chicharon, green and ripe mangoes, or hard boiled eggs. It is similar in taste and smell to that of anchovy paste. Making bagoong at home is now much less common in the Philippines. Economic factors and regional or taste preferences vary the preparation, processing and final taste of bagoong. In Ilocos, the Northern provinces, bagoong is preferred to age for at least six months and up to two years. Lengthening the aging of bagoong intensifies the flavor. According to Kyle Hildebrant (2014), Fish and other marine food sources are known to be good sources of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Sufficient amount of DHA is required for an active brain function throughout a human’s life span. DHA has also been found to lower blood pressure and chances of occurrence of heart disease and mental illness. The composition of bagoong suggests the possibility that the said condiment may be a dietary resource of polyunsaturated fatty acids. This study aimed to determine the desired amount of salt mixture in the fermentation of different sizes of Goby fish into Bagoong sauce and determine the interaction effect of fermented Goby as fish sauce “bagoong”. II. METHODOLOGY Time and Place of the Study This study was conducted at the Foods Laboratory of the Home Technology Department of Abra State Institute of Sciences and Technology, Main Campus Lagangilang, Abra from May 15- June 22, 2018. Materials The following materials are described as to how they were used in the study: Basin. It is a utensil used for washing the Goby fish. Preserving jar/ bottle. It is a wide-mouthed cylindrical container made of glass, used for storing the mixed Goby fish and salt. Cheese cloth. This is a loose-woven gauze-like carded cotton cloth used for sealing the preserving jars. Saline meter. It is a device used to measure the degree of saltiness of the fermented Goby fish and salt. Weighing scale. It is a device used to measure weight of the Goby fish with the different salt levels. Mixing bowl. It is a utensil used for mixing the ingredients of Bagoong. Rubber band. It is a material used for keeping the cheese cloth in place on the preserving jars. Methods The experimental design used was the Complete Randomized Design involving factorial arrangement of treatments in three replications. In this study, there were four levels of salt and three sizes of goby fish with twelve treatment combinations per replication. The different sizes of goby were manually classified and levels of salt were as follows: Sizes: Small (3 cm and below), Medium (3.9cm to 7cm), Large (7.9cm and above) Salt Level: 25 grams, 50 grams, 75 grams, 100 grams 1. Securing Goby fish 7923 ISSN- 2394-5125 VOL 7, ISSUE 19, 2020 Goby fish were bought directly from fishermen in the municipality of Lagayan, Abra to ensure the freshness. They were sorted and segregated into three based on their sizes. 2. Preparation of Materials The different materials were prepared. The preserving jars were sterilized before using them by boiling. 3. Procedure on how to make Bagoong according to Sarahlynn Pablo, Filipino Kitchen 3.1. The three groups/sizes of Goby fish were washed thoroughly with clean fresh water and placed in basins. 3.2. Salt was mixed to the Goby fish following the different treatment combinations. 3.3. The fish and salt mix were spooned into the jars for fermentation. 3.4. The sides and the mouth of the jars were thoroughly cleaned to prevent attracting flies and other pests. The jars were sealed with their proper lids, after which a piece of cloth was tied over each sealed jar with a rubber band. Small-sized Goby fish added Large-sized Goby fish added with Medium-sized Goby fish added with different levels of salt different levels of salt with different levels of salt 7924 ISSN- 2394-5125 VOL 7, ISSUE 19, 2020 3.5. After three days, the jars were reopened to push the solids down slowly if there were any floating in the accumulated water. 3.6. The Bagoong was checked every week to ensure that solids are submerged and stirred gently to release any gases from the mixture. 3.7. After 38 days, the Bagoong was evaluated for taste, appearance, aroma, acceptability and salinity. Medium-sized Goby fish Small-sized Goby fish added Large-sized Goby fish added added with different levels of with different levels of salt with different levels of salt salt Data Gathered The data gathered in the study were the following: 1. Degree of salinity. This was measured using the saline meter. 2. Duration of fermentation. The fermentation period of the different treatments were recorded. This was when the Goby fish were well fermented. 3. Quality of the product based on taste, appearance, aroma and acceptability. With the use of the hedonic rating scale, these were evaluated by a panel of evaluators. 4. Cost and return analysis. All the expenses incurred per treatment were recorded. The yield was subjected to the prevailing market price and its cost was computed. Gross income less total cost of production represents the net return. IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION On Taste Table 1. Average rating of evaluators on the taste of Bagoong using different sizes of Goby fish and levels of salt.