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Processed dried fish products at the markets Traditional Products of NORTH EAST INDIA BY BIPUL KUMAR KAKATI* AND UMESH C GOSWAMI F ish and fi sh products have been associated with the socio-economic life of the people of Northeast India from time immemorial. Fermentation is one of the oldest and most economical curing methods for producing and preserving food in the region. During the process of fermentation, locally available ingredients of plant and animal origin are converted biochemically and organo-leptically into upgraded edible products. This is done either naturally, or by adding starter cultures containing functional microorganisms, or by the action of organic catalysts, enzymes, which are themselves stable at normal temperature of storage. Some of the popular traditional fermented fi sh products in the region are Shidol/Ngari, Hentak, Gnuchi, Sidra, Sukuti, Tungtap, Bordia, Namsing and Lona ilish. Due to a lack of scientifi c information about most of these products, the authors have emphasised the processing technologies traditionally employed by producers, the micro-organisms involved in the fermentation process, and nutrition values of the products. Ethnic people of the region catch freshwater fi sh from the rivers, lakes, reservoirs and wetlands of the area. Some of these catches are traditionally fermented. Four basic methods of fi sh fermentation were identifi ed in the region: fermentation with salting; drying and fermentation without salting; drying and fermentation with salting; smoking, drying and fermentation without salting. Shidol/Ngari: Shidol is a salt-free fermented fi sh product with a paste surface, widely used by the people of the region and valued for its fl avour. Shidol has traditionally been prepared exclusively from the fresh water fi sh Puntius sophore (Soft fi n swamp barb), but today Shidol is also prepared from other fi sh species like Setipinna phasa (Gangetic hairfi n anchovy) and Gudusia chapra (Indian river shad), that are also available in the market and have become popular in this region. For traditional Shidol preparation, the raw fresh fi sh are washed 8 ■ NZ AQUACULTURE ■ JULY/AUGUST 2012 Bipul Kumar Kakati and allowed to sun dry for 4-5 days. They are then soaked in water for 5-10 minutes and spread under shade, allowing the excess water to drain. Then earthen pots of 10-40 kg capacity are fi lled airtight with the water soaked dry fi shes. Soaking of raw materials is very important and crucial for obtaining the best quality product. The earthen pots are kept ready before fi lling with the dried fi sh by repeatedly smearing them with fi sh or vegetable oil, and then subsequently drying them in the sun. The earthen pots are also saturated with oil to further prevent air coming in. The fi lled earthen pot is then sealed airtight with a cover paste made of waste of dried fi sh with water, followed by a polythene sheet, and fi nally with a layer of mud in the mouth portion of the pot. This provides an anaerobic condition inside and is then stored at room temperature for 3-6 months for fermentation. Microorganisms involved during fermentations are: Lactococcus lactis subsp cremoris, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus fructosus, Lb. amylophilus, Lb. coryniformis subsp torques, Lb. plantarum, Bacillus subtilis, Micrococcus spp., Yeast: Species of Candida and Saccharomycosis. Nutritive value of the product is: moisture (33.44%), protein (38.35%), fat (20.31%) and ash (7.19%). Lona ilish: Lona ilish is a salt fermented fi sh product from Tenualosa ilisha (Hilsa shad), is very popular in northeast India and Bangladesh due to its characteristic fl avour and aroma. During preparation of Lona ilish, fresh or iced hilsa are fi rst washed, de-scaled and beheaded, without removing the gut, and are cut diagonally into steaks of about 1.25 to 2.0 cm thickness. The fi sh steaks are then dry salted and kept 24-48 hours in a covered bamboo basket. During this time, the fl uid from the fi sh is allowed to drain. The salted fi sh steaks are then packed tightly in tin containers, usually around 18 litre capacity. When the tin is almost fi lled, previously boiled and cooled saturated brine is poured slowly in, to fi ll the voids between the steaks and to maintain a level of brine