Iranian Researchers Optimize ‘Fish Sauce’ to Improve Production, Exports

"The relatively high rate of global fishing results in production of a large volume of small and unusable fish that are rich in protein, enzymes, unsaturated fatty acids and minerals and can be used optimally,” said Leila Nateghi, a faculty member of Food Industry department of Islamic Azad University’s Varamin branch.

Noting that a type of local fish sauce is produced from such fish in Iran which is called Mahyaveh, she said, “Mahyaveh is a semi-fermented liquid product that is produced by breaking down fish proteins in the presence of high salt concentration.

Studies have shown that this sauce is rich in essential amino acids and is very valuable nutritionally.”

“In this study, three important variables of salt concentration (15%, 25% and 35%), type of fish (tuna, anchovy and sardine) and fermentation time (30, 75 and 120 days) were selected to produce Mahyaveh samples,” Nateqi said.

“The results showed that 120 days of fermentation with the type of sardine fish and the salt concentration of 29% with 94% predictability is the optimal conditions for production of Mahyaveh in the laboratory production with the aim of achieving the highest amount of nitrogenous compounds and the lowest amount of microbial load,” he added.

Fish sauce is a liquid condiment made from fish or krill that have been coated in salt and fermented for up to two years.

It is used as a staple seasoning in East Asian cuisine and Southeast Asian cuisine, particularly Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.

4155/v