Canned Hilsha and Tuna fish can be eaten without cooking

SAU Correspondent :
A team of researchers from Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University (SAU) has successfully developed fish canning technology for Hilsha and Tuna fish. Using their technology entrepreneurs can make canned hilsa and tuna fish eatable without cooking.
Professor Dr. Kazi Ahsan Habib, Department of Fisheries Biology and Genetics, and Associate Professor Md. Masud Rana, department of Fishing and Post-harvest Technology led and collaborated on the research project. The research project is funded by the Sustainable Coastal and Marine Fisheries Project, Department of Fisheries under the Fisheries and Livestock Ministry.
Professor Dr. Kazi Ahsan Habib said, as a result of various initiatives taken by the government, the production of hilsa has increased in the past years. The hilsa produced in the country is in great demand abroad. If this hilsa can be harvested and exported to meet the foreign country’s demand, then more income can be obtained from this sector, which will also benefit the marginal fishermen.
He further said that a lot of tuna is caught in the coastal marine area of the country which is sold at a very low price in the market. Many times these fish are left unsold in the fish landing center due to lack of buyers. Various countries including Japan, Korea, Malaysia, and Vietnam export tuna and other marine fish to satisfy their needs. In that case, tuna canning will show hope in exporting tuna fish abroad.
When asked about the specialty of the technology, Masud Rana said that in the new innovation the hilsa bone becomes soft and mixes with the fish-meat in such a way that it is not necessary to separate the fishbone.
 He further said that the hilsa bone can act as a source of calcium to the human body. The research to improve the taste, quality, safety, and shelf life of Hilsa and Tuna fish is ongoing for further development of the technology in the fish nutritional biology lab of the university.
 The demand for ready-to-eat or ready-to-cook food is increasing day by day because of the human busy life. In that case, hilsa and tuna canning technology have great potential to meet this demand. The technology is developed at a low cost, so small entrepreneurs can earn more by adopting the technology.