Ready-to-eat jellyfish processing in Dien Chau.

(Baonghean) - Our province has a coastline of over 80 km, and also has great potential for exploiting and processing seafood, including jellyfish. However, the processing of products from jellyfish still has many limitations.

Most processing facilities have developed spontaneously, only reaching the preliminary processing stage, resulting in low efficiency. Furthermore, wastewater treatment in the production process is inadequate, impacting the environment and aquatic resources in the surrounding area. To make the processing industry economically viable, adopting standardized processing procedures is essential. One of the few reputable ready-to-eat jellyfish processing facilities, whose products are sold throughout the country, is Van Phan - Dien Chau Aquatic Products Joint Stock Company.

We arrived in Dien Van commune (Dien Chau district) well past noon, the salty scent of the sea filling the air. Visiting the processing plant of Van Phan Seafood Processing Company in Dien Chau, we found workers still diligently working to meet delivery deadlines for tomorrow. Mr. Hoang Ngoc Lan, the workshop manager and project leader of the "Support for building a model for processing ready-to-eat commercial jellyfish in Dien Chau district" project, said: "We were assigned by the Department of Science and Technology to implement the ready-to-eat jellyfish processing project in November 2012, with a total capital of 1,275,680,000 VND, of which 499,700,000 VND came from the science and technology budget and 775,980,000 VND from the company's own capital." The project will end in November 2014; however, for our company, the production, processing, and consumption of the products will continue, as we already have a market in supermarkets as well as markets inside and outside the province.

Jellyfish processing plant at Van Phan Seafood Processing Company - Dien Chau.

Through our investigation, we learned that the project has received the transfer of the technical process for processing and preserving ready-to-eat jellyfish products from Nam Dinh Seafood Processing Joint Stock Company - Nam Dinh province, with a scale of 20 tons of ready-to-eat jellyfish over 2 years. To date, after more than a year of project implementation, Van Phan Seafood Processing Joint Stock Company - Dien Chau has shipped more than 14 tons of ready-to-eat jellyfish products. One of the requirements for food products is that ready-to-eat jellyfish must meet food safety and hygiene standards. Therefore, the company has focused on investing in equipment to ensure efficient production and food safety and hygiene, arranging a separate processing area from the living and working areas. All tools and machinery meet the required standards.

Ms. Vo Thi Thanh, a long-time technical officer at the processing plant, said: The process of making ready-to-eat jellyfish consists of 7 stages: selecting and pre-processing raw materials; shaping; washing and desalting; heat treatment (blanching); soaking in a solution (vinegar, chili, garlic, ginger); packaging, vacuum sealing, and product preservation. Each production stage requires adherence to technical requirements and food safety standards to ensure that the finished product is always of high quality and safe for consumers.

Labels and packaging are also decisive factors in determining the value of a product. The packaging is specialized plastic bags. The company has designed the labels and packaging according to standards, with an attractive and eye-catching appearance that reflects the characteristics of the Van Phan instant jellyfish brand. The packaging clearly states the production date and expiration date. In particular, the company has invested in a vacuum packaging machine for the instant jellyfish product, ensuring product cleanliness, longer shelf life, and product integrity during transportation.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hai Ha, a consumer in Vinh City, said that the jellyfish products of Van Phan - Dien Chau Seafood Processing Company are clean, free of sand, naturally white, and have a blend of colors from spices like chili, garlic, and ginger. The product has a distinctive aroma of jellyfish and spices, without any fishy smell. When eaten, it has a crispy texture and a balanced sweet and salty flavor.

As a provincial-level science and technology project currently underway, the ready-to-eat commercial jellyfish processing model of Van Phan - Dien Chau Joint Stock Company focuses on disseminating the production process to the people. The company has collaborated with VTC Digital Television, Channel 16 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam, to implement a program on agricultural career guidance, instructing farmers on how to process ready-to-eat jellyfish, aiming to expand a production method and contribute to increased employment and income for coastal residents.

Hong Anh