Ms. Ernestina M. Peralta creates a different take on your usual oysters, making it shelf-stable and ready to “sprinkle”

Oyster or talaba is one of the top fishery commodities in the Philippines. Oysters contain high amounts of valuable nutrients; however, it remains underutilized and is still considered a low-valued commodity. It is also highly perishable and often a probable cause of food poisoning. Ms. Ernestina Peralta, University Researcher II of CFOS-IFPT, developed new products to ensure stability of oyster products without compromising nutritional content. 

Oyster powder comes in two kinds—oyster extract powder and oyster by-product concentrate. These oyster powders are shelf-stable and ready to be added to various product applications such as sauces, crackers, and others. Packed with high nutritional content such as amino acids, vitamins, and minerals (taurine and zinc), these can also have a huge potential for nutraceutical applications. 

This product may not be a new thing in the biz but what makes this oyster powder exceptional is the process that it undergoes. Ms. Ernestina Peralta’s take on this is a simplified process which can preserve the oysters’ nutritional value without the use of chemical preservatives and other complicated processes. Moreover, these two powders have uniquely different sensorial packages which can meet your needs for product application. 

What now? Oyster powder is truly a promising idea which resulted in a product that is shelf-stable, flexible, and highly nutritious that can be readily accessible to processors as well as consumers of all ages. Through this technology, oysters being one of the high-valued commodities in the country may not be far from becoming a reality.