‘Tinapa’ can now last for 6 months

"Tinapa" (smoked fish), one of the favorite common food items of many Filipinos, can now be stored for six months.

Where before this viand of the common "tao" usually lasted for less than a week, its shelf life can now be prolonged to half a year, thanks to a technology developed by the Packaging Research and Development Center of the Philippines (PRDCP) under the Department of Science and Technology-Industrial Technology Development Institute (DOST-ITDI) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Samar Provincial Offices.

Beneficiary of the project, titled "Improvement of Packaging System for Smoked Fish (Tinapa)", is the Pingping’s Tinapa owned by Mrs.Guadalupe de Guzman in Calbayog City.

DOST-Region 8 headed by Director Rene Burt Llanto, through the Small Enterprises Technology Upgrading Program (SET-UP, a braindchild of Science and Technology Secretary Estrella F. Alabastro), recommended four popular food products from Samar, among them "tinapa" from Calbayog City.

Subsequently, the PRDCP conducted a study on appropriate packaging material for the product and developed a packaging system and design that conform with international standards.

Technical training courses and consultancy services on good manufacturing procedure (GMP) and hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) were also provided.

The project’s impact included prolonged product shelf life of "tinapa".

Likewise, the production volume increased from 2,730 kilograms per month valued at P244,800 to 4,095-5460 kg/mo valued at P367,200-P489,600.

Moreover, its market expanded. Where before the product was sold only on site (no distribution outlet), market linkages now include 10 distributors in Manila, two in Tacloban City (Leyte), and foreign markets such as those in Singapore, Australia, and Brunei Darussalam.

The business has also been accredited by DTI and Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

Plans are afoot for the improvement of production facilities (e.g., smoke house) and accreditation from the Bureau of Food and Drug (BFAD) to formally and directly export products. – Rudy A. Fernandez