How to make spice-cured smoked fish (Tinapa)

Smoked fish locally known as tinapa is very popular in the Philippines. In fact, it has become part of the Filipino meal, especially during breakfast or even lunch and dinner. However, the traditional smoked fish or tinapa is relatively smoky and has a short shelf life.

What we have here is a different method of making smoked fish. It is through spice-curing technology developed by the Southern Luzon State University (SLSU) in Lucban, Quezon headed by Prof. Delia Babilonia. This method increases the shelf life of tinapa and at the same time improve the earnings of the processors by providing consumers better smoked fish product.

How is this made?

1. Medium-size Indian sardines or "Tamban" with intact scales and belly are washed with clean water and drained.
2. Spice-curing solution is prepared by dissolving 250 grams of table salt and 100 g of powdered spices (onion, garlic, chili, and black pepper) in 1 gallon of water.
3. This is divided into two equivalent portions, for soaking and cooking of fish.
4. Fish are then soaked in the solution for 5 hours with occasional agitation.
5. Cured fish are removed from the solution and arranged in bamboo trays and allowed to drain for 30 minutes.
6. The fish are then cooked in boiling solution by dipping the tray for 10-15 minutes under low fire.
7. The cooked fish are maintained in the tray and air-dried for 1-2 hours."This is necessary for pellicle formation, which is essential for better color development," Ms. Babilonia explained.
8. After air-drying, fish are arranged in the smoking trays and loaded in the pre-heated smokehouse and smoked for 2 hours or when the fish turn golden brown.
9. To make the product more attractive to consumers, a new packaging style that is more hygienic should be adapted such as the use of plastic cover as shown in our photo. You may come up your own method of packaging.

Source: www.bar.gov.ph

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Easily Build Your Own Long Lasting Solar And Wind Power Generators For Less Than $200

That's right -- you're about to discover everything you need to know to personally produce your own electricity through solar and wind power.

With this A-Z step by step instructions, complete with color illustrations and pictures,you will be able to create electricity right in your very own backyard!

You know most people are surprised how affordable it would be for them to build their own wind or solar power generators.

Because you see you can build your own solar power generator or your own wind power generator right in your own backyard all for less than $200. And anyone can do this as thousands of happy customers have proved.

The author of this report has years of experience in electricity and used it to create the most simple, step by step, take you by the hand guide for building your own solar and wind power generators.

This report if for home novice so that anybody can build their own wind and solar power generators even without ANY experience, and just simply by following the guides.

For more details about this report, visit this site.Click Here!

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How to set up a money changing business

We have millions of OFWs all over the world. Many of them will bring dollars into the country, and change them to Pesos. Why not set up a money changing business? There is a two day seminar that you can attend to learn about money changing business in the country. I wonder, if this seminar would also include franchising a Western Union Outlet i.e. sending and receiving money from around the country and overseas.

Anyway, details of the seminar:

* SEMINAR TITLE: HOW TO START A MONEY CHANGING BUSINESS
* DATE: JULY 2-3, 2009 (THURSDAY-FRIDAY) – 2-day programme / TIME: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
* VENUE: Unit 201 Richbelt Tower, 17 Annapolis St., Greenhills, San Juan City, Metro Manila

* KEY TOPICS:

* DAY 1 - Acquiring permits and licenses to operate, Who may engage in money changing business?, Getting the right location, Facilities and equipments, Required capitalization, System operation, Buyer, Seller, Building Customer’s Trust, Dealing with counterfeiters and delinquent associates, Convertible and non-convertible currencies with BSP, Dollar and foreign currency pricing and monitoring, Basic security features in general, Knowing the Philippine peso

* DAY 2 - Basic security features of the following currencies (USA dollar, Australian dollar, Bahrain dinar, Brunei dollar, Canadian dollar, Euro, Hong Kong Dollars, Korean Won, Malaysian Ringgit, New Taiwan Dollar, New Zealand Dollar, Saudi Riyal, Singapore Dollar, Switzerland Franc, Thailand Baht, UAE Dirhams, Great Britain Pounds)

* INVESTMENT: Php 6,000.00 per person (inclusive of snacks, lunch, drinks, handouts, seminar kit, certificate of attendance)

* DISCOUNT: 10% Discount if FULL AMOUNT is paid at least five (5) days before the event.

* RESERVATION: Phone reservation is required. Please call telephone 727-5628, 727-8860 or 727-7839.

* SCHEDULE: Schedule may change without prior notice. Please call 1 day before the seminar date.

* EMAIL: businesscoachphil@gmail.com
* WEBSITE: http://www.businesscoachphil.com

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Meat Shop Business

If you are planning to set up a meat shop, as a starter it is best to look around your area, your subdivision or your community. How far is the market, and is there a nearby meat shop that is operating, or a possible competition? Investigate your market, how many households are in the area? This way you can somehow determine if you have a good market, and a possible steady number of buyers who will patronize your products. This will also help you decide whether the location you are planning to set up a meat shop is best.

The next step is to identify a steady source of your products i.e. meat supplier which ideally should include beef, pork, chicken and preserves/processed meats such as tocino, tapa, etc. at a price that can provide you a good profit margin. You can initially source your product from a secondary supplier, however if you have determined the volume you need, you can source your products from primary suppliers such as meat farms, poultry, or piggeries. Make sure that your supplier will provide you the products at reasonable and competitive prices.

If you have a limited capital you can start with poultry meat and eventually expand to include beef, pork, and preserves/processed meats such as tocino, sausages, bacon etc. To advertise your meat shop, you can distribute recipe fliers with the name and location of your meat shop in area.

Get a person/helper who knows how to make meat cuts; you would also need freezers, knives, weighing scales – the usual equipments you see in meat shops.

You would also need the typical permits needed to run your meat shop as follows: Mayor’s permit, health certification, certification from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), and Social Security System, Philhealth, and Pag-IBIG coverage for the people working in your business.

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Tips on Food Cart Business Franchise

I can’t help but be amazed on how much sales a food cart business gets in a day. For example, on the entrance of Ever Gotesco in the Marcos Highway customers on a Siomai Food Cart were falling on line to buy, almost. IMO, earnings could probably compete with established food chains on a lower scale. Indeed, more than P1 billion in sales is turned over every year from the food cart businesses. So, if you want to have a share on this business, read on.

The advantages that I can think of when going into a food cart business are:

1. Small capital. If you don’t have much capital and you want to go into food business, then a food cart maybe ideal for you. The capital involves ranges from P15, 000 (probably without a franchise) to a maximum of P300, 000 including franchise. Although there are franchises as low as P10, 000 per package that includes, the cart, product, uniform for the crew and training.

2. A food cart can be run by 3 persons at most. So, probably you can run it in house which means you, your sister or brother, husband or wife or neighbor or friend – which you can do away with the usual SSS, Insurance etc.

3. A food cart business is easy to set up. You can set up a food cart business on market–pizza, waffle, fishball, siomai, pearl shakes, baked goodies, rice in a box, hotdog, burgers, shakes etc.

Tips:

a. Get a nice cart – color, design, etc. Study and observe other food carts you see on the market, or in malls. Think how you can improve the product and service.

b. Location, location, location. Great sales equal great location on this type of business.

c. Great product. If you want to be on a safe side, go for familiar ones like siomai, noodles, hot dogs – improved on taste, packaging, service etc.

d. Think about your price. You can have a great product at a reasonable price – then you are good to go.

e. Remember that this business could be labor intensive, so prepare on it.


Good Luck.

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Bagoong Cubes

Ever heard of Bagoong Cubes? Yes, your bagoong alamang (shrimp paste), and bagoong isda (fish paste) are now in cubes. They're great pasalubongs to kababayan overseas. Ok, here is the article and where to buy them, courtesy of BAR.

Messy no more with bagoong in cubes

by Christmas B. de Guzman and Carmencita L. Culasing, PhD Photos by CSU-CFMS and Rita T. dela Cruz

Who would have thought that the messy bagoong (fish paste) can be packaged into cubes?

Fish paste, commonly known as bagoong here in the Philippines, is a result of fish fermentation which is one of the traditional techniques of fish preservation. Due to its appetizing flavor, the product is highly preferred by local people especially those from Northern Luzon, Bicol Region and Western Visayas.

As we all know, the traditional bagoong is usually packed in bottles with little solids and is quite messy to handle. In addition, they are packaged heavily requiring bigger space that demands higher fare rate.

Bagoong in cubes, however, are packed in cut rite, aluminum foil and carton. Filipinos fond of adding bagoong in their dishes would find it more stable, handy, and appealing as compared to traditional bagoong.

Novelty product
Bagoong cube, which is now in the market, is a novelty product developed by Dr. Carmencita L. Culasing of the Cagayan State University-College of Fisheries and Marine Sciences (CSU-CFMS) in Aparri, Cagayan. This was an offshoot of a study titled "Preparation of Dried Products from Fish Paste (Bagoong Cubes)" conducted through the assistance of the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development (DOST-PCAMRD).

Dr. Culasing conducted three specific studies. The initial study aimed to identify the best fish species for bagoong cubes; the second, investigated the optimum fermentation period for bagoong cubes making, and the third focused on the effect of antioxidant on the sensory qualities of bagoong cubes.

According to these studies, the hairtail ("espada") was the best fish species or raw material for bagoong cubes making because of its color (lighter brown). But in terms of the general acceptability test, all the species used (hairtail, marine anchovies, freshwater anchovies, and round scad) were acceptable. It was also suggested in the findings that fermentation period of four to five months contributed the best sensory characteristics of bagoong cubes - four months for smaller fish and five months for bigger fish. Lastly, it was indicated that the effect of adding antioxidants improved the quality of bagoong cubes, particularly the odor of the product.

Dr. Culasing cited that the product was put into development because of the abundance of fish species used in making the condiment in the province.

Award winning technology
Bagoong cubes making is feasible throughout the year. The raw materials can be source out from the bagoong processors making it an additional means of livelihood for coastline communities. Producing bagoong cubes is technically viable since the raw materials are abundant and readily available.

Bagoong cubes making has a return on investment of 52.25% and a promising business producing export products. According to Dr. Culasing, the product has a longer shelf-life and the technology per se eliminates the problem of toxin production by Clostridium botulinum due to anaerobic and water content of the traditional bagoong. Furthermore, the absence of anaerobic bacteria makes it a safer food additive.

"As for the busy housewives, food preparation is minimized and cooking is easier when using bagoong cubes instead of the traditional bagoong," Dr. Culasing stated. "It is also convenient to handle and cheaper to transport because of its light packaging materials and absence of extreme ammoniacal odor," she added.

Taking into consideration its several advantages, Dr. Culasing's bagoong cubes won the second prize in the Aquatic Technology Competition and Marketplace sponsored by DOST-PCAMRD on 31 January 2007.

Market and economic considerations
The process of making bagoong cubes involves shorter fermentation period for it does not require a total dissolution of the fish flesh. Thus, an immediate turn-over of capital and greater profit could be attained.

Looking at shelf stability, bagoong cubes could last longer than the traditional bagoong which takes six months to finish the fermentation process. With lengthy fermentation process, growth of maggots could also be observed.

Production of bagoong cubes is sometimes not feasible during rainy months. Processors have to use a cabinet dryer as a substitute drying facility for the reason that sun drying may be impracticable or takes longer period of fermentation. If not properly dried or packed, bagoong cubes may promote the growth of undesirable molds.

Moreover, packaging of the product has an important role when it comes to market prospects. Dr. Culasing said that further improvement of the complete packaging of bagoong cubes, including the product logo design and quality of materials used is what she has been working out with the Industrial Technology Development Institute of the DOST.

"Another thing that could expand its market and make it more profitable is good product packaging that's why we are seeking the assistance of ITDI-DOST," she emphasized.

The product is at present being promoted by the Northern Luzon Aquatic and Marine Research and Development Zonal Center (NLAMRD-ZC) based at the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU) in Bacnotan, La Union; which is one of the zonal centers coordinated by DOST-PCAMRD.

Price in the market is Php15.00 per pack containing 3 pieces of bagoong cubes.

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