FISH Preservation

ACTIVITY 12
Multiple choice
Direction: Write the letter of the correct answer before the number.
_____1. It is any operation that can prevent or inhibit the natural process of
breakdown or decomposition taking place in the fish.
a. Fish Restoration
b. Fish Curing
c. Fish Preservation
d. Fish Salting
_____2. It refers to a mixture of salt and water.
a. Solution
b. Dilution
c. Brine
d. Salinity
_____3. What is the stiffening of the muscles or tissues of the fish several hours
after death?
a. Anabolism
b. Catabolism
c. Rigor Mortis
d. Putrefaction
 _____4. This is the form of fish whose scales, internal organs, fins, head and tail
are removed. This statement is referring to?
a. Dressed Fish
b. Eviscerated Fish
c. Viscera
d. Market Fish
_____5. The ribbon-liked species of fish body forms is called _ _.
a. Anguilliform
b. Taeniform
c. Globiform
d. Ribboniform
_____6. It is the breakdown of tissues caused by enzyme.
a. Rigor Mortis
b. Putrefaction
c. Autolysis
d. Decaying
_____7. The eyes of fresh fish is bright, bulging pupil, velvet black corneas is
transparent. This statement is .
a. Assumption
b. Hypothesis
c. Fallacy
d. Factual
______8. Enzyme is responsible in the breakdown of plant and animal compound
materials after death. This statement is .
a. Factual
b. Fallacy
c. Hypothesis
d. Assumption
_____9. Microorganisms are the proteins that act as biochemical catalyst in the
other living organisms. This statement is _.
a. Assumption
b. Hypothesis
c. Fallacy
d. Factual
_____10. Bacillus is the term for rod-shaped bacteria. This statement is .
a. Factual
b. Fallacy
c. Hypothesis
d. Assumption
_____11. Cold smoking is the method of smoking in which the fish are hung at
some distance from a low smoldering fire and cured at temperatures
ranging from 90˚F to 110˚F. This statement is .
a. Assumption
b. Hypothesis
c. Fallacy
d. Factual

_____12. It includes all the methods of fish preservation except refrigeration and
canning. This statement is .
a. Drying and Dehydration
 b. Fish Pickling
c. Salting
d. Fish Curing
_____13. What are the devices used to measure liquids and solid ingredients?
a. Measuring Containers
b. Measuring Beaks
c. Measuring Spoon and Cups
d. Measuring Vials
_____14. What are containers used for washing and for the preparation of brine?
a. Basins
b. Fish Preservation Bowls
c. Styrofoam Containers
d. Washing Containers
_____15. It refers to a machine or instrument that is used to close the open ends of
tin cans.
a. Tin Can Presser
b. Can Sealer
c. Can Cover
d. Can Pressure Closer

DEFINITION OF
TERMS
Aerobic is a microorganism that requires free oxygen in order to live.
Colander is a receptacle for draining purposes.
Enzymes are the proteins that act as biochemical catalysts in living organisms.
Eviscerate is the removal of internal organs of fish.
Impure Salt is a kind of salt that is firm and rusty in color.
Smoking is a method of preserving fish by the application of smoke and other
interrelated processes such as salting, drying and heat treatment.
Splitted is the form of fish that is precluded open alongside the dorsal side
from head to tail.
Taeniform is the ribbon like body shape.
Thermophilic is a microorganism that thrives at high temperature
 TERMINOLOGIES AND FORMS OF FISH

There are methods and ways of controlling and delaying the spoilage of
fish and other fish products.
Knowledge of fish processing will help you put up your business that
can improve the standard of living of your family.

Fish Preservation - is any operation that can prevent or inhibit the

natural process of breakdown or decomposition taking place in the fish. It is
known as fish processing.
Terminologies in Fish Preservation
1. Autolysis - softening of tissue due to digestive action of
enzyme
2. Brine - mixture of salt and water
3. Can sealer - a machine used to close the open end of
tin can
4. Canning - method of preparing food in a hermetically
sealed container by the application of heat
5. Dehydration - removal of moisture under controlled
conditions
6. Drying - method of preservation by lowering the
moisture content through the application of
natural or artificial heat
7. Eviscerate - removal of internal organs of fish
8. Exhausting - elimination of air inside the can
9. Gibbing - process of removing internal organs by
cutting a triangular cut at the throat of the
fish
10. Icing - the application of ice to lower the
temperature of the fish
11. pH - refers to hydrogen-ion concentration

12. Pickling - the process of curing of fish in vinegar and

spices
13. Pressure Cooker- a closed metal fitted by a pressure gauge,
control valve and pet cock
14. Pressure Gauge - a device used to measure and maintain
pressure during processing
15. Refrigeration - method of preservation by lowering the
temperature to point wherein bacterial
growth is inhibited

16. Rigor Mortis - stiffening of the muscles or tissues of the

fish several hours after death
17. Salting - method of preserving fish with salt as its
main preservative

18. Smoking - process of preserving fish with the

application of smoke and other interrelated
processes such as salting, drying, and
heating treatments

19. Vacuum - empty space without air

20. Viscera - internal organ, entrails of fish
Market Forms and Cuts of Fish

1. Whole or round fish is the structure of fish that is all parts are
nevertheless intact.

2. Drawn fish is the form of fish whose inside organs are eradicated with
the resource of making a slit alongside the belly wall and the entrails pulled
out.

3. Dressed Fish is the form of fish whose scales, inner organs, fins, head
and tail are removed.

4. Steaks are cross sections of a cleaned fish which are around 1-2 cm
thick.
 5. Splitted is the form of fish that is precluded open alongside the dorsal
side from head to tail.

6. Live fish is the form of fish that is furnished alive.

7. Fillets are the fleshy facets of the fish which are separated from the
backbone and the ribs.

a. Butterfly Fillet is the fillets that are joined mutually on the

ventral sides through performance of the underside skin.
 b. Single Fillet is the fillet form whose side of a fish cut away
from the backbone.

8. Sticks are the cuts kinds fillets or steaks. They are typically from fish
that has been minced and shaped, breaded and frozen.

Common Body Forms of Fish

1. Fusiform is the torpedo like physique shape. Ex: galunggong

2. Compressiform is the flat and compress laterally. Ex: Slipmouth

3. Depressiform is the depressed dorsal vertically. Ex: Stringray

4. Taeniform is the ribbon like body shape Ex: hairtail

. Anguilliform is the serpentine like physique shape. Ex: Eel
ACTIVITY 13

Identification. Identify the following given statements.

1. It is the stiffening of the muscles or tissues of the fish several
hours after death.
2. It is the removal of internal organs of fish.
3. It is the mixture of salt and water.
4. It is the process of curing of fish in vinegar and spices.
5. It is a method of preservation by lowering the moisture
content through the application of natural or artificial heat
6. It is a market forms and cuts of fish whose internal organs are
removed by making a slit along the belly wall and the entrails
pulled out.
7. It is a market forms and cuts of fish that is cut open along the
dorsal side from head to tail.
8. It is a market forms and cuts from fillets or steaks. They are
usually from fish that has been minced and shaped, breaded
and frozen.
9. It is a kind of fillets that are joined together on the ventral
sides by the underside skin.
10. It is a market form and cuts of fish that are cross sections of a
cleaned fish which are around 1-2 cm thick.
11. It is a body form of fish that are torpedo-shaped like.
12. It is a body form of fish that are flat and compressed laterally.
13. It is a body form of fish that are serpentine-shaped like.
14. It is a body form of fish that are ribbon-shaped like.
15. It is a body form of fish that are short, round and globular
body.
 FISH PRESERVATION PRINCIPLES
AND AGENTS OF SPOILAGE

Principles of Fish Preservation

1. Prevent or delay microbial decomposition of fish
2. Prevent or delay self-decomposition.
3. Prevent other causes of spoilage of fish like physical damage
Changes in Fish After Death
1. Changes in Appearance are the color starts to fade until it becomes
dull as spoilage progresses.
2. Rigor mortis is characterized by the stiffening of the muscle tissue.
This state lasts only for a few minutes in some fish to several hours in others.
The fish in this state is considered fresh.
3. Autolysis is the breakdown of tissues caused by enzymes. Since it
softens the tissue, it proves the activity of microorganisms.
4. Putrefaction is the state when the components of the flesh are
assimilable forms. It is accompanied by a foul odor, which is the result of the
breakdown of protein. The fish at this stage is spoiled and undesirable.
Characteristics of Fresh and Stale Fish
 Fresh Fish Stale Fish

Bright, bulging pupils Dull, wrinkled, sunken

Eyes velvet, black corneas pupils, dull black
transparent corneas opaque
Dull brown or gray,
Bright red, covered with
slime cloudy, odor
Gills clear slime, fresh odor
under gill cover sour
under gill cover
and offensive
Firm, stiff body; Soft and flabby;
Flesh impression made by impression made by
fingers do not remain fingers remain
Often ruptured, viscera
Belly walls Intact
protruding
Pinkish, especially
Muscle Tissue White
around backbone
Vent Pink, not protruding Pale brown protruding
Odor Fresh, fishy odor Stale, sour or putrid
Color Bright Faded and dull
 Fresh Fish

Stale Fish

Agents of Spoilage

1. Microorganisms
Three Main Groups of Microorganism

a. Bacteria - responsible in the breakdown of plant and animal material

and the possible the return of simple inorganic compounds to the soil. The
result of this breakdown is spoilage, fermentation and decay. Since fish is an
organic matter, it spoils easily. As soon as it dies, bacteria act on it.
 b. Molds - fuzzy or cottony organisms that grow on the surface of the
food. They are responsible for the white, orange, black, green or blue green
colonies on the surface of the food.

c. Yeasts - whitish to yellowish colonies on the surface of the food. They

appear as a film on the surface of the liquid or as sediments at the bottom.

2. Enzymes - proteins that act as biochemical catalysts in living

organisms. They are normally present along the digestive tract and help in the
breakdown of food into assimilable forms.
 Classification of Bacteria According to Shape
1. Coccus - round
2. Bacillus - rod-shaped
3. Spirillus - spiral
4. Staphylococcus - grapelike
5. Streptococcus - chainlike
Classification of Bacteria According to Their Temperature Requirement
1. Thermophilic - thrive at high temperature (heat loving)
2. Psychrophilic - thrive best at low temperature
(cold-loving organisms)
3. Mesophilic - those that thrive between low and high
temperatures
Classification of Bacteria According to Their Oxygen Requirement
1. Aerobic - requires free oxygen in order to live
2. Anaerobic - lives in the absence of free oxygen
3. Facultative - grows with or without free oxygen
Types of Enzymes
1. Lipolytic - enzyme that acts on fats
2. Proteolytic - enzyme that acts on proteins
3. Amylolitic - enzyme that acts on carbohydrates

ACTIVITY 14
I. True or False. Write True if the characteristics of fish in the statement is
fresh and False if it is otherwise.
1. The eyes of fish are dull, wrinkled, sunken pupils, dull black and
corneas opaque.
2. The gills of fish are bright red, covered with clear slime.
3. The flesh of the fish is soft and flabby.
4. The belly walls of the fish are viscera protruding.
5. The muscle tissues of the fish are pinkish.
6. The vent of the fish is pink.
7. The odor of the fish is putrid.
8. The color of the fish is bright.
II. Enumeration
1. Two agents of spoilage
 2. Three main groups of microorganism
3. Classification of bacteria according to shape
4. Classification of bacteria according to temperature requirement
5. Classification of bacteria according to oxygen requirement
6. Types of enzymes
III. Essay.
1. How important is the fish preservation principles to ensure and secure
the quality of the fish products? Why do you say so?
2. Why do you need to know the characteristics of fresh and stale fish?
3. Why do you need to know and understand the agents of spoilage?

METHODS, TOOLS AND EQUIPMENTS

METHODS OF FISH PRESERVATION

1. Fish Curing
It includes all the methods of fish preservation except refrigeration
and canning. It is the process of preservation by the use of preservatives and
other chemicals for the purpose of keeping fish and other fishery products
fresh for future use.
Types of Fish Curing
 A. Salting is the application of salt to product. It is considered the basis
of all methods of fish preservation

Salt is the colorless or white crystalline compound known chemically as

sodium chloride (NaCl) occurring abundantly in nature, both in solid form and
in solution.

Factors Affecting Salting

a. Composition of Salt

 Pure Salt is the better quality salt. It is soft and flabby and has
yellowish white color.
 Impure Salt is firm and rusty in color.

b. Temperature
Its condition makes the certain object require enough quantity
and quality of efforts to produce the favourable state. High temperature makes
salt dissolve faster, permitting a rapid penetration of the product with salt.
c. Methods of Salting
 Kench Salting
 Dry Salting to Make Brine
 Brine Salting
 Fermenting
d. Methods of Cleaning
 Whole Fish
 Splitted Fish
 Gutted Fish
e. Size of the Fish
It defines how required salt is needed and depends on how the
speed of salting occurs. The small sized of fish is salted faster than larger size
of fish

f. Storage of Fish
 B. Drying and Dehydration is the lowering of water content of the
product to a degree where bacteria cannot grow and reproduce with the aid of
heat.
 Drying known as natural drying used
 Dehydration is of chemical devices to provide artificial heat
for drying
Factors Affecting Drying
a. Humidity of air
b. Velocity of the wind
c. Intensity of the sunshine
 Humidity – amount of moisture in air
 Velocity – speed of air/wind

Factors Affecting Dehydration

a. Kind of drier used
b. Temperature range
c. Storage of finished product
d. Relative humidity

The finished products of drying and dehydration are commonly called

daing or tuyo.

C. Smoking is a method of preserving fish by the application of smoke

and other interrelated processes such as salting, drying and heat treatment.
Smokehouse - an airtight container where smoke can be introduced

Types of Smoking
 Hot Smoking or barbecuing - a slow type of broiling that places the
product in close proximity to the fire. The food is cooked and smoked in
temperature ranging 150◦F to 190◦F.
 Cold smoking - method of smoking in which the fish are hung at some
distance from a low smouldering fire and cured at temperatures ranging
from 90◦F to 110◦F.

Factors Affecting Smoking

 Kind of Fish - fat fish are preferable to lean ones. Scaly fish are
usually used to obtain an attractive appearance of the finished product
 Condition of raw materials
 Kind of smoke-producing materials
a. Hard wood - good quality of smoke is produced
b. Soft wood - thin smoke is produced; thus, a low grade of
smoked product
 Length of smoke curing
 C. Pickling is the preservation of food by the use of vinegar and other
spices. Pickling of fish as a method of preservation is not commercially done in
the Philippines because the preservative action of vinegar is short. Pickling has
some digestive action in fish which renders it softer and pastier. Pickled fish is
usually used as appetizer so preservation by this method is recommended for
use at home.

2. Canning or Bottling is the application of heat to food in a hermetically

sealed container at a temperature and for a period of time
sufficient to destroy microorganisms and to render any
bacterial cell for a definite period of time.
Basic Canning Equipment

 Can sealer is a machine or instrument that is used to close the open

ends of tin cans.

 Pressure cooker is a modern household device used for processing

food for a definite period of time and pressure.
 Tin cans and glass jars are containers locally available for canning
purposes only.

 Measuring spoons & cups are devices used to measure liquids and
solids ingredients.
 Colander is a receptacle for draining purposes.

 Basins are containers used for washing and for the preparation of brine.
 Thermometer is a device used to check temperatures of cooking, drying
and cold storage.

 A clock is an instrument used to determine the length of

processing, salting, steaming or frying
 Knives are tools used in cleaning, cutting fish into accurate sizes

 Cutting board is a durable board used primarily as guide so that

exact sizes of fish will fit into the different containers.
ACTIVITY 15

Identification
1. It is a type of fish curing that lowering of water content of the product a
degree where bacteria cannot grow and reproduce.
2. It is a type of fish curing that applies of salt to the fish.
3. It is a type of fish curing by the application of smoke and other
interrelated processes such as salting, drying and heat treatment.
4. It is a type of fish curing that the preservation of food by the use of
vinegar and other spices.
5. It is a machine or instrument that is used to close the open end of tin
cans.
6. It is containers locally available for canning purposes only.
7. It is a receptacle for draining purposes.
8. It is a device used to check temperatures of cooking, drying and cold
storage.
9. It is a modern household device used for processing food for a definite
period of time and pressure.
10. It is an instrument used to determine the length of processing, salting,
steaming or frying.

Multiple choice
Direction: Write the letter of the correct answer before the number.
______1. It is any operation that can prevent or inhibit the natural process of
breakdown or decomposition taking place in the fish.
a. Fish Restoration
b. Fish Curing
c. Fish Preservation
d. Fish Salting
_____2. It refers to a mixture of salt and water.
a. Solution
b. Dilution
c. Brine
d. Salinity
______3. What is the stiffening of the muscles or tissues of the fish several hours
after death?
a. Anabolism
b. Catabolism
 c. Rigor Mortis
d. Putrefaction
_____4. This is the form of fish whose scales, internal organs, fins, head and tail
are removed. This statement is referring to?
a. Dressed Fish
b. Eviscerated Fish
c. Viscera
d. Market Fish
_____5. The ribbon-liked species of fish body forms is called _ _.
a. Anguilliform
b. Taeniform
c. Globiform
d. Ribboniform
_____6. It is the breakdown of tissues caused by enzyme.
a. Rigor Mortis
b. Putrefaction
c. Autolysis
d. Decaying
_____7. The eyes of fresh fish is bright, bulging pupil, velvet black corneas is
transparent. This statement is .
a. Assumption
b. Hypothesis
c. Fallacy
d. Factual
_____8. Enzyme is responsible in the breakdown of plant and animal compound
materials after death. This statement is .
a. Factual
b. Fallacy
c. Hypothesis
d. Assumption
_____9. Microorganisms are the proteins that act as biochemical catalyst in the
other living organisms. This statement is _.
a. Assumption
b. Hypothesis
c. Fallacy
d. Factual
_____10. Bacillus is the term for rod-shaped bacteria. This statement is .
a. Factual
b. Fallacy
c. Hypothesis
d. Assumption
_____11. Cold smoking is the method of smoking in which the fish are hung at
some distance from a low smoldering fire and cured at temperatures
ranging from 90˚F to 110˚F. This statement is .
a. Assumption
b. Hypothesis
c. Fallacy
d. Factual
_____12. It includes all the methods of fish preservation except refrigeration and
canning. This statement is .
a. Drying and Dehydration
b. Fish Pickling
c. Salting
d. Fish Curing
_____13. What are the devices used to measure liquids and solid ingredients?
a. Measuring Containers
b. Measuring Beaks
c. Measuring Spoon and Cups
d. Measuring Vials
_____14. What are containers used for washing and for the preparation of brine?
a. Basins
b. Fish Preservation Bowls
c. Styrofoam Containers
d. Washing Containers
_____15. It refers to a machine or instrument that is used to close the open ends of
tin cans.
a. Tin Can Presser
b. Can Sealer
c. Can Cover
d. Can Pressure Closer