Mymensingh – Hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha) got recognition as a geographical indicator (GI) product of Bangladesh this year. With this recognition of Ilish, the national fish of Bangladesh tagged as a Bangladeshi product. It is a very popular, tasty and high priced fish worldwide.
Nutrition value of Hilsa or Ilish is comparable to any high-quality fish and at the same time a high protein and lipid fish. The omega-3 unsaturated fatty acid in it reduces the level of harmful cholesterol and increases the level of beneficial cholesterol in human bloodstream whereby reduces the chance of heart diseases.
However, the polyunsaturated fatty acids readily oxidized its peroxides having an obnoxious rancid odour. Besides, huge small pin-bones in ilish, limit its consumption by the kids, old or diseased or ilish-loving foreign people.
Due to a high price, general consumers cannot purchase it except a few only during the rainy season. Considering all the constraints of its consumption, the Govt. has instructed the Department of Fisheries (DoF), Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI) and Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation (BFDC) to make the fish easily available at affordable prices.
Ilish is a tasty due to high lipid content but again due to high lipid, its product is difficult to store at room temperature (25-30 C) or freezer (-20 C). Prof Nowsad Alam of the Department of Fisheries Technology of BAU and his research team have been able to formulate and develop storable ilish soup, ilish-noodles and ilish-powder, keeping the original taste and flavour of the fish intact in a block.
Dr Nowsad has made 12g weighing small blocks for preserving in the freeze. About 100 to 120 small blocks can be made from 1 kg fish. 70g noodles or 160-millilitre soup can be made from each block. As the price will be 20 taka per block, people can easily get it throughout the year. Beside this, Bangladesh can earn lots of foreign currency by exporting this hilsa block. – Musfiqur Rahman Sifat
