Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited (CP Foods) has leveraged the unique qualities of the Blackchin tilapia to develop three value-added products, including cooked fermented fish sauce, crispy fish flakes, and seasoned fish powder. These products are designed for use in household meals and as food ingredients, aiming to inspire public participation in harvesting, consuming, and generating income within communities, which seeks to maximize the efficient use of the fish while collaborating with the government to promote sustainable solutions.
Mr. Premsak Wanuchsoontorn, Head of Aquaculture Research and Development of CP Foods, stated that the development of these three products was led by food researchers from Thailand's top food research institutes. Beyond encouraging increased consumption of Blackchin Tilapia, the initiative also aims to promote continuous harvesting of the species. This supports the government's efforts to reduce the population of the fish in natural water sources as efficiently as possible. In addition, nutritionists have confirmed that the fish is safe for consumption, offering protein and nutritional value comparable to other common fish species.
"CPF is supporting researchers and experts from several leading universities to study and develop innovative methods for controlling the fish population and halting its long-term reproduction. We are working to expedite the removal of Blackchin tilapia from water sources as quickly as possible," said Mr. Premsak.
Mr. Premsak explained that food researchers have studied the physical characteristics of Blackchin tilapia, including its meat and aroma, while also focusing on maximizing the efficient use of the raw material. They explored ways to extend the shelf life of the fish to make it easier to develop value-added food products and ingredients, such as fermented fish, fermented fish sauce, and crispy fish flakes. Particularly, fermented fish can be further processed into cooked fermented fish sauce, while crispy fish flakes can serve as a key ingredient for various flavored seasoning powders.
The selected products and ingredients include three key items: cooked fermented fish sauce, crispy fish flakes, and crispy fish-flavored seasoning powder. Cooked fermented fish sauce can be adapted for various popular dishes, while crispy fish flakes are ideal for developing a range of chili pastes. The crispy fish seasoning powder can be used as a flavored topping, similar to Japanese-style rice seasonings. All of these products are suitable for daily meals and can be further developed to create value and generate income according to market demand.
"We are confident that the Blackchin tilapia has great potential to be developed into various food products. By adjusting the flavor to suit consumer preferences, it can easily become a profitable food product. It requires minimal investment in equipment, involves simple production processes, has a long shelf life at room temperature, and is easy to transport and store without taking up much space," said Mr. Premsak.
The recipes for products made from Blackchin tilapia will be filed for petty patents to protect the innovation and enable future development, particularly to be shared with communities to generate income. This is expected to increase demand for the fish, leading to a rise in harvesting, which will help reduce its spread in natural water sources tangibly.
The development of food products from Blackchin tilapia is one of CP Foods' five proactive projects, aligned with government policies and the Department of Fisheries' systematic and ongoing efforts to control the spread of the species. The company is collaborating with leading universities and educational institutions in Thailand to turn the fish into valuable products, such as food items and fishmeal.