The production process of chepa shutki: A traditional Bangladeshi fermented fish product

Chepa shutki is a sticky, solid, fermented, salt-free product from Bangladesh prepared from small-sized fish by local producers. It can be consumed as a chutney or sauce-like recipe or shutki curry with vegetables as a side dish for rice or bread. Chepa shutki is manufactured according to a small-sc...

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Main Authors: Jasmin Ara Farhana, Sijmen E. Schoustra, Ferdous Ahamed, Bas Zwaan, Oscar van Mastrigt
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-01-01
Series:Heliyon
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844025003524
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author Jasmin Ara Farhana
Sijmen E. Schoustra
Ferdous Ahamed
Bas Zwaan
Oscar van Mastrigt
author_facet Jasmin Ara Farhana
Sijmen E. Schoustra
Ferdous Ahamed
Bas Zwaan
Oscar van Mastrigt
author_sort Jasmin Ara Farhana
collection DOAJ
description Chepa shutki is a sticky, solid, fermented, salt-free product from Bangladesh prepared from small-sized fish by local producers. It can be consumed as a chutney or sauce-like recipe or shutki curry with vegetables as a side dish for rice or bread. Chepa shutki is manufactured according to a small-scale traditional technique relying on spontaneous fermentation. Although chepa shutki is an important part of the human diet in Bangladesh, providing flavour as well as essential nutrients (especially protein and bone minerals), research on variations in production of chepa shutki has been limited. The aim of this study was to determine the variations in processing methods of chepa shutki and identify production process parameters. A survey was carried out with respondents using structured questionnaires and observations on current processing practices and the equipment used. In Bangladesh, chepa shutki is produced from different small fish (Puntius, Setipinna and Otolithoides) referred to as punti, phaisha and puma type, respectively. Among these, the punti type is produced the most and puma type the least. After washing, sun drying, soaking and overnight storage, fermentation takes place in airtight earthen pots (locally called motka) whose micropores are blocked with fish oil to ensure anaerobic conditions. The fermentation duration varies from three to twelve months. Types of fish, types of fermentation container (old/new) and fermentation time were identified as vital process parameters. This information is crucial for further studies to understand how processing variations affect product properties and to develop a standard processing method to produce consistently high quality chepa shutki with good preservation properties.
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publishDate 2025-01-01
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spelling doaj-art-6c8c36b0b60143949a4d0dcd82a1f7732025-02-02T05:28:40ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402025-01-01112e41972The production process of chepa shutki: A traditional Bangladeshi fermented fish productJasmin Ara Farhana0Sijmen E. Schoustra1Ferdous Ahamed2Bas Zwaan3Oscar van Mastrigt4Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Bangladesh; Food Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands; Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands; Corresponding author. Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Science, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Patuakhali, Bangladesh.Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands; Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Zambia, Lusaka, ZambiaPatuakhali Science and Technology University, BangladeshLaboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The NetherlandsFood Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The NetherlandsChepa shutki is a sticky, solid, fermented, salt-free product from Bangladesh prepared from small-sized fish by local producers. It can be consumed as a chutney or sauce-like recipe or shutki curry with vegetables as a side dish for rice or bread. Chepa shutki is manufactured according to a small-scale traditional technique relying on spontaneous fermentation. Although chepa shutki is an important part of the human diet in Bangladesh, providing flavour as well as essential nutrients (especially protein and bone minerals), research on variations in production of chepa shutki has been limited. The aim of this study was to determine the variations in processing methods of chepa shutki and identify production process parameters. A survey was carried out with respondents using structured questionnaires and observations on current processing practices and the equipment used. In Bangladesh, chepa shutki is produced from different small fish (Puntius, Setipinna and Otolithoides) referred to as punti, phaisha and puma type, respectively. Among these, the punti type is produced the most and puma type the least. After washing, sun drying, soaking and overnight storage, fermentation takes place in airtight earthen pots (locally called motka) whose micropores are blocked with fish oil to ensure anaerobic conditions. The fermentation duration varies from three to twelve months. Types of fish, types of fermentation container (old/new) and fermentation time were identified as vital process parameters. This information is crucial for further studies to understand how processing variations affect product properties and to develop a standard processing method to produce consistently high quality chepa shutki with good preservation properties.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844025003524FermentationSpontaneousIndigenousMotkaAnaerobicFood security
spellingShingle Jasmin Ara Farhana
Sijmen E. Schoustra
Ferdous Ahamed
Bas Zwaan
Oscar van Mastrigt
The production process of chepa shutki: A traditional Bangladeshi fermented fish product
Heliyon
Fermentation
Spontaneous
Indigenous
Motka
Anaerobic
Food security
title The production process of chepa shutki: A traditional Bangladeshi fermented fish product
title_full The production process of chepa shutki: A traditional Bangladeshi fermented fish product
title_fullStr The production process of chepa shutki: A traditional Bangladeshi fermented fish product
title_full_unstemmed The production process of chepa shutki: A traditional Bangladeshi fermented fish product
title_short The production process of chepa shutki: A traditional Bangladeshi fermented fish product
title_sort production process of chepa shutki a traditional bangladeshi fermented fish product
topic Fermentation
Spontaneous
Indigenous
Motka
Anaerobic
Food security
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844025003524
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