S O U T H E A S T A S IA N F I S H P R O D U C T S Compiled by N g M ui C hng H ooi K ok K uang M A R IN E FISH E R IE S R E SE A R C H D E PA R T M E N T SO U T H E A ST A SIA N FISH E R IE S D E V E L O PM E N T C E N T E R SIN G A PO R E 1987 ACKN OWLEDGEMENT The compilers would like to thank our former Deputy Chiefs: Dr. H. Hasegawa gave valuable guidance throughout the survey, and Mr. K. Inoue who is also the current Deputy Secretary-General made useful suggestions for improvements to this report. Thanks are also due to current personnel serving in the MFRD, and in particular Mr. Tan Sen Min who was engaged in discussions on all aspects of work. MFRD also records its appreciation to all Directors-General of Fisheries of participating countries with whose generous co-operation, provided through the respondents to the questionnaire, this survey was made possible. Text arrangement: Choo Sieu Eng Low Lai Kim Photography /cover design: Chin Saik Yoon International Development Research Centre SO U T H E A ST A SIA N FISH ER IES (IDRC) of Canada. Loo Steven DEVELO PM ENT CENTER The Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) is a technical organisation devoted to the accelerated development of fisheries in the region. The member countries of SEAFDEC are Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. SEAFDEC has three departments. viz, the Marine Fisheries Research Department in Singapore, the Marine Fisheries Training Department in Thailand and the Aquaculture Department in the Philippines. Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center, Copyright (c) 1987. Marine Fisheries Research Department Marine Fisheries Research Department, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center. Postal Address : Changi Fisheries Complex, All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval Changi Point, Singapore 1749. system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher. Liaison Office : Secretariat 956, Olympia Building, First published September 1987 Reprinted August 1988 4th floor, Rama IV Road, Bangkok 10500, Thailand. ISBN 9971-88-163-2 PREFACE Fish is a major traditional source of animal protein in the Southeast Asian region. There are many varieties of fresh water and marine fish which is widely accepted by most peoples and religions. These fish are also available as traditional fish products and these are listed in this report. They are broadly classified as dried, salted and fermen- ted fish products, minced and powdered fish, and fish sauces, etc. More recently, fish products have been developed to meet the requirements of foreign markets. In 1976, the SEAFDEC Council requested the government of Japan to sent a Survey Mission to SEAFDEC member Countries to determine the status of fish processing and preservation in order to decide on the priorities of a research and development program. The program identified was carried out by the MFRD. In 1984, the MFRD was requested to compile an inventory of fish pro- ducts in Southeast Asia. The objective of the survey was to list the fish products available in countries in the region and the technical problems and constraints in meeting market requirements. This report is a comprehensive record of fish products in the region, and will be of interest to researchers, food scientists, fish technologists and administrators. It will also be useful for fish traders, and may be used as a reference for further improvement of the quality of these products in the region. CONTENTS Introduction 1 Summary Of Fish Products From Compiled Inventory 3 Discussion On Problems And Suggestions For Improvement 6 Concluding Remarks 8 Table Of Fish Products In Southeast Asia 9 Inventories Of Fish Products:— Brunei Darussalam 13 Indonesia 23 Malaysia 44 Philippines 60 Singapore 84 Thailand 98 Annexes | Names And Addresses Of Co-ordinators And Respondents 130 II Survey Questionnaire: PARTI ; Country Contacts 134 PART I I : Types Of Products And Its Details I n t r o d u c t io n 1 INTRODUCTION At the 17th Meeting of the Council of the Southeast Asian Fisheries 3. Survey methods Development Center in 1984, the Council Director for the Philippines stressed A comprehensive questionnaire (see Annex II) was provided by MFRD the need for drawing up an inventory of fish products in Southeast Asia. and sent to the countries concerned in October 1985 and by May 1986 almost all the information was collected. After deliberation the Council decided that an inventory survey of fish products in the region would be conducted by the Marine Fisheries Research 4. Survey items Department. The items surveyed in the questionnaire were as follows: The MFRD clarified the objectives of the survey and provided a (a) Name of the products (both English and Local) questionnaire for the survey which was conducted as follows. (b) Description of products (c) References in Literature 1. Objectives of the survey (d) Materials used The general objectives of this compilation were to identify: (e) Outline of production methods (f) List of machines used (a) the products available in the region, (g) Production (metric ton) (b) the quality level of the products, and (h) Export (metric ton) (c) the constraints in their marketing and promotion. (i) Packing conditions This inventory will also serve as a reference for information on fish (j) Storage products as well as a guide for SEAFDEC in their research and development (k) Shelf-life of fish products in the Southeast Asian region. (l) Ways of consumption (m) Problems in marketing & quality control 2. Subject of the survey (n) Remarks The following countries in the region were covered by the survey: 5. Products surveyed (a) Brunei A preliminary literature search was conducted to identify the products. It (b) Indonesia was found that the types of fish products available in the region, could be (c) Malaysia classified into 11 main product categories. The detailed information for each (d) Philippines (e) Singapore fish product was compiled for each country as follows: (f) Thailand 2 S o utheast Asian Fish Products (a) Dried products (including salted dried, semi-dried, etc.) 6. Analysis of the information (b) Cured products (e.g. salting without drying, pickling, etc.) After compilation of the information, the compilers examined the con- (c) Fermented products (e.g. fermented fish/fish paste/fish sauce, etc.) tents from the food technologists' view point, and summarized the problems (d) Smoked products and constraints in each category of fish products in order to meet the re- (e) Boiled products quirements of consumers in both the domestic and external markets. (f) Powdered/flaked products (g) Frozen products (h) Canned products (i) Comminuted products (e.g. fish jelly products, surimi, fish fingers, etc.) (j) Fish meals, and (k) Other fish products (e.g. crackers, satay fish, etc.) Sum m ary 3 SUMMARY OF FISH PRODUCTS FROM COMPILED INVENTORY The important products in Southeast Asia were identified from the 2. Poor sanitation and hygiene during processing, and handling o f final returns of the questionnaire received from participating countries. This products during marketing. included dried, cured, fermented, smoked, frozen and community products, fish meal and miscellaneous products such as fish crackers. 3. In some cases the raw material used are of poor freshness and this also affects the quality of final products. DRIED PRODUCTS Steps must be taken to improve the sanitation and hygiene of premises, Drying is one of the common methods of preservation of fish in South- handling and processing of raw materials and final products in order to east Asia, mainly in Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei and Indonesia. improve the quality of the final products. The main products in this category are dried fish eg. anchovies (Stolephorus Most o f these dried products are consumed locally while some are ex- spp.), dried shrimp, dried shellfish and dried salted fish. ported. They are usually deep fried till crispy or used in soups as taste and flavour enhancers. They can also be cooked with vegetables or meat, mixed The outline of processing methods in most countries are similar. It with salads or widely used in various ways. involves mainly headed and gutted or whole fish, salting and sun-drying. The types of equipment used are simple, eg. gas or kerosene stove, drying machine for dried shrimps and dried shark fins. The use of sophisticated CURED PRODUCTS machinery is normally not required, as indicated by most countries in the Curing by salting without drying or pickling is another traditional survey. method of preservation. This method is common only in the Philippines. The cured product is known as kench style cured fish eg. skipjack, herring The dried products can be sold in loose form or packed in standard and roundscad. weight in hard cardboard boxes, braided bamboo, baskets, plastic bags, gunny sacks and wooden boxes. They are best kept in cool dry places or The equipment used for production of cured fish are simple, viz barrel, in well ventilated storage rooms, for 1—4 months provided they are not jar, pot or tank. The materials are mixed together and left to cure for certain attacked by insects and moulds. days after which it can be eaten. This product is packed in wooden boxes for local consumption. The main problems encountered in marketing and quality control of final products are: The problems encountered in the production of Philippines kench 1.