“Making a Salted Fish through Fermentation”

Introduction:
Fermentation is a microbial process that uses bacteria and fungi and the enzymes these
microorganisms produce to transform foods (Bel Rhlid et al., 2018). Humans take advantage of
this transformational ability of microorganisms to produce fermented drinks and foods to
preserve food and make it more digestible while reducing harm (Xu et al., 2015).

Fermented foods have evolved with the development of human civilization since ancient times
and have historically been part of human food, providing nutrients (calories, protein, vitamins,
minerals) at affordable prices.Among the many fermented foods, fermented fish foods are
particularly popular. Fermented foods naturally contain live microorganisms (probiotics), but the
health benefits of consuming them are still unknown (Companys et al., 2020).

The use of fermented fish as a dish in traditional diets dates back to ancient times in many
societies around the world (Prajapati & Nair, 2003). The earliest fermented fish sauce ever
recorded was the classical Roman garum, which was made from the guts and blood of mackere
(Garum & Salsamenta, 1991). Largely academically and culturally invisible in food science, this
fish sauce is known for its umami and flavor, as well as its ability to fundamentally transform
everyday cooking due to its low cost and widespread availability (Grainger, 2020).

It has only recently begun to bear a striking resemblance to fish sauce. Available In many
cultures throughout history, people have developed a variety of ways to obtain fish and other
food resources when they are in short supply due to the seasonal abundance of fish. Because of
their perishability, fish had to be preserved in various ways, including drying, salting, and
fermentation (Skara et al., 2015).

The purpose of this lab report is to explain the process and results of producing salted fish
through fermentation. It will help us understand how fermentation enhances the quality and
safety of salted fish.
Objectives:
To produce a pickled cucumber using locally sourced ingredients and following the traditional
recipe.

Methods:

Discussion:

Conclusion:
References:
1.Bel Rhlid, Berger, & Blank. (2018). Bio-mediated generation of food flavors – Towards
sustainable flavor production inspired by nature. ScienceDirect.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S092422441830

2.Xu, Zang, Regeinsten, & Xia. (2015). Technological roles of microorganisms in fish
fermentation: A review. PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32292041/

3.Companys, Pedret, Valls, Sola, & Pascual. (2020). Fermented Dairy Products, Probiotic
Supplementation, and Cardiometabolic Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32277831/

4.Prajapati, & Nair. (2003). The history of fermented foods. Semantic Scholar | AI-Powered
Research Tool. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/The-History-of-Fermented-Foods-
Prajapati-Nair/f6605a5e2c9b2168a80cb0b26bd8e6284fec8946

5.Skara, Axelsson, Stefansson, Ekstrand, & Hagen. (2015). Fermented and ripened fish products
in the northern European countries. ScienceDirect.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352618115000050