Traditional Fish Processing Techniques Applied in the Philippines and Turkey

Abstract

Traditional fish processing techniques (TFPTs) are widely applied worldwide, especially in Asia. In the Philippines, processed fish and fishery products using the traditional methods have been part of the daily diets of many Filipinos who live near the coasts, particularly among low-income families. In Turkey, TFPTs are also commonly practiced for centuries. In this work, we reviewed the existing body of knowledge on TFPTs both in the Philippines and Turkey by utilizing peer-reviewed articles, works, theses, and books published from 1950 to 2021. Our findings revealed that TFPTs such as drying, salting, pickling/marinating, and smoking are commonly applied in both countries, which only differ with regards to finished products and some variations. The Philippines has various and unique processed seafood products produced from TFPs compared to Turkey. This is due to the fact that the Philippines has more rich and diverse aquatic resources than Turkey; hence, Filipinos have a higher consumption rate of fishery products than Turkish people. One of the TFPTs that is only predominantly applied in the Philippines is the fermentation of fishery products, which seems to be uncommon and may be absent in Turkey.