Government Develops New Processed Marine Products

Dr. Angel Encarnacion, Chief of the Fisheries and Post-Harvest Division of BFAR, said they are now on the process of developing seaweed noodles, seaweed chips, seaweed pickles, and seaweed crackers to take advantage of the abundant raw materials from the coastal zones of the provinces of Cagayan and Isabela.

Aside from the seaweed products, BFAR is also studying the possibility of producing spicy alamang or spicy shrimp paste to process the soft shelled shrimps in Aparri, Cagayan.

We are developing products marketable to add not only to the income of the fisherfolks but also to the economy of the region because our aqua-marine resource is one of the primary sources of livelihood of the people in the region, Dr. Encarnacion said.

In the previous years, BFAR successfully developed processed fish such as tilapia longganisa, tapang tilapia" and fish fillet, among others.

Dr. Encarnacion also said that they are also studying the nutritional facts as well as the storage stability of the processed aqua-marine products to include it in the packaging to ensure its nutritional value for the health of the consumers.

We will also introduce the development processes of the products to the rural improvement clubs and the state universities and colleges that are willing to invest in the food processing to add further to the production and market requirement, Dr. Encarnacion added.

He also said that they have already partnered with the Department of Trade and Industry for the market outlets of the processed foods to ensure income of the fisherfolks.