Holy Mackerel! Now, chocolate fish cookies!!!

KOCHI: Consider a menu comprising chocolate chip cookies, momos, lollipops, sweet dumplings and, of course, burgers all with fish as the base. Soon the days of sardines, mackerel and anchovy being considered downmarket products, largely for their pungent smell and taste, would be over. Going in for the image makeover of sardines, mackerel and anchovy would be the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, Kochi, helping the fishermen take their otherwise lowly catch to the markets in new style and taste.Says Ashaletha, a senior scientist at CIFT where a recent survey was carried out to gauge the acceptance level of these fish: "There is a concept among people that these low-value fish do not complement their lifestyle, mainly because of their odour and price. The fish we package do not have the smell or the taste of mackerel or sardines. Rather, we are processing some of the fish products so that they taste quite like chicken. People are willing to eat mackerel and sardines as they know that they provide better health but it will certainly help when they are packaged to reach a wider consumer base."The food products, being branded as Seafresh, Fishmaid, Fertyfish and Drish, with CIFT trademark, are being manufactured by fisherwomen trained by CIFT. The soft launch has been done in the coastal belts and soon they will be introduced in the cities using kiosks first before moving into supermarkets and malls.The key to the success of these products lies in how well the taste and smell of mackerel and sardine are masked. CIFT discovered that with the addition of a small tinge of shrimp essence, the taste of mackerel or the sardine changes, leaving a healthy yet uniquely tasty fish product. "Malayalis along the coasts of Kerala generally prefer shrimp because of its taste. Some of our products can be eaten as snacks," Ashalatha said.Studies show that mackerel, sardines and anchovy have certain medicinal values and CIFT is trying to incorporate these fish into their lifestyle. "Omega3, a nutrient found in sardines, protects the heart. It also helps fight depression and works as a deterrent to Alzheimer's and arthritis," says Geetha Lakshmi of CIFT.CIFT has plans to tie up with the Gulf countries to sell the new products there.