‘RMUTT’ researchers introduces varieties of food menus from ‘Toman’ fish. “From exporting products to domestic markets”

‘RMUTT’ researchers introduces varieties of food menus from ‘Toman’ fish. “From exporting products to domestic markets”

As one of the best sources of protein with a low-fat amount, ‘Toman’ fish had been introduced to create complete super-healthy fish menus by lecturer-researchers of Food and Nutrition Program Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi (RMUTT) Lecturer, Arunwan Attham and Asst. Prof. Apasara Gaveevangso.

Lecturer Arunwan Attham explained that it could be found that Toman fish possessed white, non-flaky meat which was similar to the ones in Spotted Mackerel and Grouper Fish. 100% of this type of fish meat could be used for cooking and costed only 35 baht per 100 grams.

Additionally, this type of meat could be boiled without making them flaky thus most high-end restaurants or ordinary ones preferred to make them as part of its food menus varying from red curry, green curry, and saté to spicy fish soup, fried black pepper fish, Japanese soybean boiled fish, Tom-Kha fish coconut cream soup, fried fish with basil leaves, and fish Biryani

Mr Narongsak Phuwatthan, a leading member of Toman fishery group revealed that “from all members of the group, 20 members of them were from either Suphanburi or Phetchaburi province. For 5 years, most of their Toman fish have been exported in a form of fillets frozen to Singapore or Malaysia averaging 1,000 – 1,500 kilograms per day, 15 tons per month. While the price of the fish meat being sold are approximately 300 baht per kilogram. However, with higher export costs and other negative impacts, the Toman fish raisers decide to expand their market in Thailand instead.

“Therefore, we have decided to request research support from lecturers of the Department of Food and Nutrition, Faculty of Home Economics Technology, RMUTT so as to receive knowledge of how to increase distribution channels in Thailand. Similar to other types of fish, creating a perceptual identity for Toman fish could help increase the local consumption and domestic needs of Toman fish farming thus leading to higher demand of consumers and decrease of its price.

Lecturer Arunwan Attham also added that when distributors enabled to supply the demand of consumer needs of Toman fish, the market potential of the fish would also increase. While the demand of those who wanted to breed and raise Toman would also increase making the fish price lower which allowed consumers consume fish at an affordable price.