To help consumers know how to choose clean fish sauce

(Baonghean)Recently, public opinion has been stirred up by the news that more than 100 tons of Miwon's Hai Ngu fish sauce has been circulating on the market with sediment; or that Nam Ngu De Nhat and De Nhi fish sauces contain the compound HT 155, which causes allergies for people with asthma... However, in our province, these types of fish sauce are being favored by consumers...

Confused about quality

For a long time on television, the advertising market share for fish sauce brands Miwon, Nam Ngu De Nhat, De Nhi or Chinsu has occupied the majority; with advertising content: Produced with modern technology, clean with 3 ultra-filter membranes, eliminating all harmful bacteria... affordable price, suitable for everyone's budget.

The reason why 100 tons of Miwon's Hai Ngu fish sauce had sediment was explained by the manufacturer as the use of domestic salt, which caused the salt precipitation at the bottom of the bottle. However, speaking with reporters, Mr. Le Anh Tuong - Head of the Department of Quality Management of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries and Salt - Department of Quality Management of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said: "If a bottle of fish sauce that has been left for a long time and has precipitated at the bottom of the bottle must be a type of fish sauce with a high protein content. If a bottle of fish sauce only has a protein content of 2.5, the precipitate cannot be salt."



Van Phan fish sauce is sold at Intimex supermarket.

According to Mr. Duong Van Hung - Head of the Department of Agricultural, Forestry and Fishery Product Quality Management: "To be called fish sauce, a 900ml bottle of fish sauce must have at least 10 degrees of nitrogen. Most fish sauces on the market are industrial fish sauces, the nitrogen level is not guaranteed". However, a 900ml bottle of Nam Ngu fish sauce contains only 2.56 degrees of nitrogen, Chinsu contains 2.5 degrees of nitrogen... still sells "well" and occupies a large market share in large and small stalls, in markets, business locations and in supermarkets. On the label of the fish sauce bottle, the total nitrogen level is always the most visible index. According to current regulations, whether the nitrogen level is high or low, the manufacturer must clearly state it on the label. When asked about how to recognize a bottle of good fish sauce, a long-time vendor at Vinh market said: "Good fish sauce has a cockroach-colored color, does not change color after long-term use, and has no smell. Currently, customers prefer fish sauce products that are widely advertised in the mass media, partly because the price is very affordable, and moreover, it can be used for cooking and dipping..."

Regarding this issue, Mr. Le Anh Tuong added: "A bottle of fish sauce with a nitrogen content of 32-38 degrees costs 45,000 - 60,000 VND depending on the brand, which is considered high, but if compared with bottles of fish sauce with a nitrogen content of only 2.5, which cost from 14,000 - 30,000 VND, it is cheap, because the quality value compared to the price of these bottles of fish sauce with low nitrogen content is actually high." The nitrogen content in a bottle of fish sauce, if it meets the standard, is only 30-38 degrees, if some premium fish sauce bottles have a nitrogen content as high as 50-70, they all have to rely on chemicals.

Mr. Tuong also said that if the fish sauce has a protein content of over 50 degrees, it is a concentrated fish sauce, the price will be very high, it is very difficult for normal bottled fish sauce to reach this index. At the fish sauce stalls in supermarkets, there are bottles of fish sauce with a protein content of 50 degrees such as Hanh Phuc with the advertisement that it is extracted from tuna, white pomfret... In fact, to produce 1 liter of fish sauce of this type of fish, it takes up to 4kg of fish; therefore, the price will be up to several hundred thousand VND/liter. Meanwhile, these types of fish sauce are sold on the market for only 50,000 VND/liter. This inadequacy is not necessarily seen by consumers.

Traditional fish sauce and the market problem

Currently, in the province, there are more than 100 fish sauce production facilities including joint stock companies, cooperatives, and craft villages. Notably, Van Phan Joint Stock Company with the ISO 220000 - 2005 quality management system has exported 100,000 liters to the Malaysian market and markets outside the province. Cua Hoi Joint Stock Company is supported by the Department of Agricultural, Forestry and Fishery Product Quality Management to manage HACCP quality (a system of hazard analysis and control limits) and is certified by the Office of Quality Certification - BQC for food safety and product deliciousness; Cua Hoi fish sauce has a "centipede" system, mobile stalls like in Hung Chinh. Craft villages in Quynh Di (Quynh Luu), Dien Bich (Dien Chau) with brands such as Cuong Ngan, Hung Lam... are favored by a segment of consumers...

But, even though the product is of good quality, why do places like Vinh market not have even a single bottle of local fish sauce?

As a person who is passionate and concerned about the traditional fish sauce of his home province, Mr. Nguyen Thai Tuan - an expert of the inspection department - Department of Agricultural, Forestry and Fisheries Product Quality Management said: "Although the processing and production process of fish sauce companies in the province is strictly and fully compliant with food safety and hygiene and is always strictly monitored and inspected by the functional sector, the output is still limited. Partly because consumers cannot really distinguish between traditional fish sauce and industrial fish sauce. A liter of anchovy fish sauce costs 60,000 VND at the place of production, not including the packaging stage, but 900ml of industrial fish sauce on the market is advertised as super clean, chemical-free, extracted from specialty fish, but costs 12,000 - 35,000 VND. In addition, the promotion of traditional fish sauce products has not reached consumers."

According to the traditional method, to have a bottle of fish sauce with 32 degrees of protein, it requires a production process from 25% salt in 1kg of fish, through a pressing process, and sun drying for 1-2 years. The quality of a bottle of traditional fish sauce is clear, but why it has not reached the majority of consumers, the answer lies with the manufacturers themselves and the responsibility of the functional sector.

Mr. Le Anh Tuong also said that during the inspections, the industry has integrated consulting and promoting local fish sauce brands to supermarkets in the city. Compared to 2-3 years ago, the market share of local fish sauce has somewhat improved. However, it is still necessary to have specific strategies from the manufacturers themselves and the wisdom of consumers.

Thanh Nga