TILAPIA FISH PROCESSING 1 OF 2 (Canned, Dried, Fermented)

Tilapia grows fast. For this reason it is, like milkfish, catfish and mudfish, being raised in great volume in fishponds throughout the country. The fish is seldom processed or canned, dried, frozen or fermented. It usually transported by middlemen to markets and sold live immediately after catch. Tin tubs (banyera) or styrofoam boxes filled with water at 20% of their capacity are used for transport. The containers are covered with polyethylene nets or wood slats to prevent the fish from escaping. Tilapia marketed in this way usually stays alive from 4 to 6 hours.

For long travel, tilapia is iced in containers in amounts equal to the volume of the fish. Depending on the length of travel, re-icing may be required. Iced tilapia will remai in good condition for as long as 10 days. Some fish dealers say that under ideal conditions of catching and handling, good quality iced tilapia can remain in acceptable condition for 3 weeks.
When your tilapia harvest is large and the fish commands a cheap price, there are a number of processing methods for business.
Not too long ago, The MAF’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and NSTA’s National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) conducted tilapia processing experiments. The joint project yielded 3 advanced processing methods for the following products: 1) canned tilapia (sardine style and escabeche style), and fish tapa. Procedure for each product follow:
Tilapia Sardine Style

1. Select fresh tilapia and clean them by removing the scales, heads, fins, tails and viscera.
2. Cut the fish cross-sectionally into the size that would fit the size of the cans you are going to use. Soak in brine solution (95% water and 5% salt) for 30 minutes and drain.
3. Pack tilapia in tin cans and exhaust for 30 minutes to remove air, thus, creating a partial vacuum.
4. Drain off water extracted from the fish and add the following ingredients for every can of tilapia:
   • 1 tbsp hot oil
   • 2 tbsp hot tomato sauce
   • 1-2 pcs of siling labuyo (hot pepper)
5. Seal the can immediately in a can sealer and process under pressure at 15 lb for 45 minutes.
6. Cool the cans under running water. Dry the cans, label and store properly. (Bottles with sealable caps maybe used instead of tin cans for containers.)

Tilapia Escabeche Style
Prepare the following materials and ingredients. Choose fresh tilapia and good quality ingredients.

• 150 gms tilapia
• 20 gms onion
• 3 gms garlic
• 5 ml cooking oil
• 7 gms ginger
• 15 gms coarse salt
• 55 gms sugar
• 7 gms red pepper
• 240 ml vinegar diluted with water (1:4 ratio)
• 0.8 gm powdered whole pepper

Procedure:

1. Select fresh tilapia and clean them by removing the scales, heads, fins, tails, and viscera and washing the fish thoroughly.
2. Cut the fish cross-sectionally into the size that would fit the size of the cans you are going to use. Soak in brine solution (95% water and 5% salt) for 30 minutes and drain.
3. Deep fry the fish in oil until golden brown.
4. Saute garlic, onion, ginger and red pepper in cooking oil. Add vinegar diluted with water, salt, sugar and powdered whole pepper. Allow mixture to simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Put half-fried fish in tin cans, then add the boiled mixture . Leave a 1/4 inch headspace from the content to the top of the can.
6. Exhaust for 30 minutes to remove air, thus, creating a partial vacuum.
7. Seal the can immediately in a can sealer and process under pressure at 15 lb for 45 minutes.
6. Cool the cans under running water. Dry the cans, label and store properly. (Bottles with sealable caps maybe used instead of tin cans for containers.)

Dried and Fermented Tilapia
Like most of other freshwater fish, tilapia are made into daing (salted and dried) and buro (fermented).
Salted Dried Tilapia

1. Split tilapia along the backbone into butterfly fillets.
2. Remove gills and internal organs and wash thoroughly.
3. Drain, then immerse fish in brine solution (3 parts water, 1 part salt) for 3 minutes to 1 hour depending upon the size of the fish.
4. Dry under the sun for 1 to 2 days and store in a cool and dry place. Small tilapia can be dried with the gills ad viscera.
5. Dried tilapia may be process into fish meal by mechanical grinding.

Fermented Tilapia
Prepare the following:

• 1 kilo tilapia
• 2 cups salt
• 2 cups of rice
• 2 tsp of angkak (red rice powder that enhances fermentation)

Split tilapia along the backbone. Remove gills and internal organs. Wash thoroughly and drain. Cut into single fillets and mix with salt. Cover and set aside.
Grind ankak and mix with cooked rice. Pack fish and rice angkak mixture in clean jar by spreading a thin layer of rice-angkak mixture at the bottom of the jar and spreading the split fish over the mixture.
Spread another layer of rice-angkak mixture and continue packing fish and mixture alternately. The top layer of fish should be placed skin up. Cover with a thick layer of rice-angkak mixture, then, sprinkle salt over it.
Clean the neck of the jar and cover tightly. Allow to ferment for 1 to 3 weeks.
For more information, contact:
TRC at TLRC Building
#103 J. Abad Santos cor. Lopez Jaena Sts.,
Little Baguio, San Juan, Metro Manila
Tel: (02) 727-6205
Web: www.tlrc.gov.ph
source: www.tlrc.gov.ph