STORING

STORING

   This is another way of preserving fish. Low temperature is employed bringing down the body temperature of the fish lower than temperature which is 27'C. When this is done, spoilage is slowed down. There are two methods of storing fish using low temperature.



METHODS OF STORING
1. Chilling
    - This is cooking the fish to a very low temperature without freezing it. Ice is an ideal medium and is the cheapest and most commonly used. It has a great cooling capacity and can cool quickly as it comes in contact with the fish. Ice flakes or crushed ice completely surrounds the fish and when it melts, it wahes of the slime and bacteria on the surface of the fish.

2. Freezing
    - This method is employed for large storage of fish. The temperature is lowered more than the temperature required in chilling. In freezing the water is crystallized. The reason for freezing are-

• when the fish is to be exported,
• for longer storage of about month or more, and 
• when fish lasts for many days and the fish landing is far from the fishing ground.

SMOKING

SMOKING
   This is a process of exposing the fish to wood smoke until it is golden brown. Wood smoke contains chemicals that destroy bacteria which cause spoilage. Smoking is advantageous because a requires only a minimal preservative, gives an attractive appearance, and adds a distinctive flavor and an attractive color to the fish. Smoking is a combination of other methods of fish process such as sun drying, bringing, and boiling.


TYPES OF SMOKING

1. Hot smoking or Barbecue smoking
    - This is how a slow type of broiling where the product is put in close proximity to the fire and the fish is cooked as well as saturated with smoke.


2. Cold smoking
     - The temperature of 90' to 110' is used in contrast to the 150' to 190' in hot smoking.

DRYING (Part 1)

DRYING

This is the oldest method of preserving fish. This is done by exposing the fish to the heat of the sun or by using mechanical kiln or driers. There are three methods used in drying fish.






METHODS OF DRYING

1. Sun drying- The fish is sliced and spread o a tray or mat exposed to the sun to dry.

   Dried Fish
 
   Procedure:
   1. Wash the fish thoroughly. Soak in 10% brine for 30 minutes to leach out the blood.
   2. Removes the viscera by opening and squeezing the belly cavity.
   
       a.) Place the fish on its side on the cutting board, then take the fish by the tail firmly in your hand and begin cutting the bottom bum to gills below the neck. Then cut from the top of the fish's gills down to the neck bone, the behind the fish's gills until the gills are free from the fish.

       b.) Pull up on the loose gills with your fingers, and then start pulling down towards the bottom of the fish. All the entrails should come out in one shot as shown in the illusion.

       c.) Wash the fish under the water and scrub out the chest cavity with one of your thumbs until all the extra blood and guts are washed away.

   3. Soak fish in brine solution (9 parts water, 1 part salt).
   4. Put fish in concentrated brine solution from 12 to 25 hours depending on size of the fish.
   5. Arrange fish in single wire screen or bamboo racks.
   6. Dry under the shade or under the sun.
   7. Turn every two hours daily.
   8. Pack in basket when dry


   Dried Squid (2 kg medium size squid)
 
   Procedure:
   1. Wash the squid well in ordinary sea water or diluted salt solution.
   2. Drain the squid well and then arrange on split bamboo racks to dry under the sun.
   3. Turn over or twice daily to dry evenly. The squid is already dry and assumes a leathery texture and  a reddish brown color.


2. Artificial heat- The fish is dried by exposure to hot air in an oven or in constructed drier.

   Steps in Artificial Dehydration
    1, wash the fish thoroughly. Soak in 10% brine for 30 minutes to leach out the blood.
    2. Remove the viscera by opening and squeezing the belly cavity.
    3. Soak the fish in 10% brine solution for 3 to 6 hours to partially extract the water content of the fish.
    4. Precook the fish for a short period of time depending upon the size of the fish.
    5. Arrange the precooked fish on trays and racks. Place the fish i an oven or artificial dehydrated to dry under a controlled temperature.
    6.  Packs in basket when dry.


3. Air blast- the fish is dried by means of a fan run by electricity, kerosene, or alcohol.

SALTING (Part 1)

SALTING

This method of preserving fish is done by adding salt to the fish until it seeps through the flesh forcing out water from flesh. The salt takes the place of the extracted water and ties up the remaining water molecules, thereby making the microorganism inactive. This method is called osmosis.

Salt has been used for preserving fish for many years because it inhabits the growth of harmful bacteria. But too much salt makes the fish unpalatable, so fish s only ligthly salted.

METHOD OF SALTING 

1. Dry salting or Kench curing

   - This is done by directly applying granules of salt to the fish. The surface of the fish is completely covered with salting .

2. Brine salting

   - This is a solution of salt and water. The fish is submerged foe several hours depending upon the amount of salt required. Brine salting is a preliminary treatment to drying and smoking. 

3. Salting to make brine

   - This is similar to kench curing except that the brine is not allowed to drain. The salted fish is kept in a barrel or any container that can hold the natural brine formed.

4. Fermentation 

   - This is a process of salting small fish such as; anchovies(dilis), tunsoy kalaso, and galungong.