UBC Wiki - User contributions [en]

Course:FNH200/Projects/2026

2026-08-14T00:22:05Z

AnsonChan: no to yes

{{Start tab|
| tab-1 = Welcome, Help and Resources
| link-1 = Course:FNH200/Projects
| tab-2 = 2026 Team Assignments
| link-2 = Course:FNH200/Assignments/2026
| tab-3 = 2026 Team Projects
| link-3 = Course:FNH200/Projects/2026
| tab-4 = Past Projects
| link-4 = Course:FNH200/TeamProjectsShowcase
}}

Due date:

Thursday, August 13, 2026, 6 pm

Following similar steps we used for the team assignments, we are sharing your work on UBC wiki, so that your research and hard work can be easily accessed by your peers and your instructor, and eventually, the UBC community.

== Project Guidelines ==
Project Guideline: [https://wiki.ubc.ca/File:FNH_200_2026s_Team_Project_Guidelines.pdf Guideline]

== Our In-depth Investigations ==

You have three options:

# Perform an interview - You add a link below so that you may (with consent from your interviewee) share your summary here, and contribute your final exam question
# Modify an existing page created by past FNH 200 students: [https://wiki.ubc.ca/Course:FNH200/TeamProjectsShowcase Past Projects]
# Create a page on an endangered food, or a food with cultural and historic significance, AND not yet explored by any past FNH 200 students

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+
!Team Number
!Product Investigated and Link
!Completed? To be updated by Aug 13
|-
|0 (Example)
|The Processing and Safety of Swiss Cheese (Please provide link to the page generated above)
|No
|-
|1
|
* [[Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/Nescafe Coffee Pods/Capsules - What is inside?]]
|Yes
|-
|2
|
* Bear root (endangered food): [[Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/Bear root (endangered food)]]
|No
|-
|3
|
* Ice Cider (endangered food): [[Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/Ice Cider - Exploring the Endangered Drink]]
|No
|-
|4
|Olestra Regulations [[Course:FNH200/Projects/2023/Olestra Regulation]]
|Yes
|-
|5
|
* If you are enhancing an existing page, add that existing link here
* If you are doing an interview or researching an endangered food, create a new link using the [https://wiki.ubc.ca/Course:FNH200/Projects/2026#Create_a_New_Project_Page Create Your Project Page] tool below and add the link here
|No
|-
|6
|Pu-erh Tea (Endangered Food) [[Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/Pu-Erh Tea|Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/Pu-erh Tea]]
|YES
|-
|7
|
* [https://wiki.ubc.ca/index.php?title=Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/Group_7_Exam_Question&veaction=edit&preload=Course%3AFNH200%2FSampleProjectPage&create=Create+page&redirect=no Group 7 Exam Question]
|No
|-
|8
|
* [[Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/Casu Marzu: The Processing, Science, Safety, and Regulation of Sardinia’s Larvae-Ripened Cheese]]
|No
|-
| 9 |9
|
* If you are enhancing an existing page, add that existing link here
* If you are doing an interview or researching an endangered food, create a new link using the [https://wiki.ubc.ca/Course:FNH200/Projects/2026#Create_a_New_Project_Page Create Your Project Page] tool below and add the link here
|No
|-
|10
|
* [[Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/Instant Noodles - Food Science, Processing, Safety, and Regulation]]
|Yes
|-
|11
|
* [https://wiki.ubc.ca/index.php?title=Course%3AFNH200%2FProjects%2F2026%2FCoffee+Ground&create=Create+page&redirect=no Coffee Ground]
*
|No
|-
|12
|
* [[Course:FNH200/Projects/2022/Processing and Packaging of Mezcal]]
|No
|-
|13
|
* [[Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/PU-ERH TEA|Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/PU-ERH TEA - UBC Wiki]]
|No
|-
|14
|
* [[Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/Interview with a Grocery Store Worker]]
|No
|-
|15
|
* [[Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/Tai O shrimp paste]]
|Yes
|-
|16
|[[Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/Instant Noodles]]
|Yes
|-
|17
|[[Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/Matcha Overview]]
|Yes
|-
|18
|Endangered Food: Flat Oyster [[Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/Flat Oyster (Endangered Food]]
|Yes
|-
|19
|
* If you are enhancing an existing page, add that existing link here
* If you are doing an interview or researching an endangered food, create a new link using the [https://wiki.ubc.ca/Course:FNH200/Projects/2026#Create_a_New_Project_Page Create Your Project Page] tool below and add the link here
|No
|-
|20
|Endangered Food: Shark fin [[Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/Shark Fin: An Endangered Food Under Scrutiny]]
|No
|-
|21
|[[Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/Canadienne Cow|Canadienne Cow]]
|Yes
|-
|22
|[[Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/Perry]]
|No
|-
|23
|[[Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/Chatime Manager Interview]]
|No
|-
|24
|[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghee Ghee]
|No
|-
|25
|[https://wiki.ubc.ca/index.php?veaction=edit&preload=Course%3AFNH200%2FSampleProjectPage&title=Course%3AFNH200%2FProjects%2F2026%2FPoisoning+in+Oysters&create=Create+page&redirect=no Oyster Poisoning]
|Yes
|-
|26
|Gluten free bread (revision)
* [[Course:FNH200/2013w Team20 GlutenFreeBread]]
|Yes
|-
|27
|
* [https://wiki.ubc.ca/index.php?title=Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/Registered_Dietitian_Interview&veaction=edit&preload=Course%3AFNH200%2FSampleProjectPage&create=Create+page&redirect=no Registered Dietitian Interview]
|Yes
|-
|28
|
* [https://wiki.ubc.ca/index.php?veaction=edit&preload=Course%3AFNH200%2FSampleProjectPage&title=Course%3AFNH200%2FProjects%2F2026%2FEndangered+Foods+-+Beluga+Whale&create=Create+page&redirect=no Endangered Foods - Beluga Whale]
|No
|-
|29
|
* Group 29 Exam Question:
You open a package of instant noodles that you bought several months ago, and it has been sitting in your pantry since then. It turns out that the noodles are still safe to eat and can be prepared in only a few minutes. Which would best support this?

A. They are kept in a freezer during transportation, which prevents spoilage

B. They contain a lot of water, which slows down microbial growth

C. They have been dehydrated, which limits microbial growth

D. They were made through fermentation, which removes all microorganisms

|No
|-
|30
|
* [[Course:FNH200/Assignments/2026/Philadelphia CreamCheese]]
|No
|-
|31
|
* If you are enhancing an existing page, add that existing link here
* If you are doing an interview or researching an endangered food, create a new link using the [https://wiki.ubc.ca/Course:FNH200/Projects/2026#Create_a_New_Project_Page Create Your Project Page] tool below and add the link here
|No
|-
|32
|
* If you are enhancing an existing page, add that existing link here
* If you are doing an interview or researching an endangered food, create a new link using the [https://wiki.ubc.ca/Course:FNH200/Projects/2026#Create_a_New_Project_Page Create Your Project Page] tool below and add the link here
|No
|-
|33
|
* If you are enhancing an existing page, add that existing link here
* If you are doing an interview or researching an endangered food, create a new link using the [https://wiki.ubc.ca/Course:FNH200/Projects/2026#Create_a_New_Project_Page Create Your Project Page] tool below and add the link here
|No
|-
|34
|
* If you are enhancing an existing page, add that existing link here
* If you are doing an interview or researching an endangered food, create a new link using the [https://wiki.ubc.ca/Course:FNH200/Projects/2026#Create_a_New_Project_Page Create Your Project Page] tool below and add the link here
|No
|-
|35
|
* If you are enhancing an existing page, add that existing link here
* If you are doing an interview or researching an endangered food, create a new link using the [https://wiki.ubc.ca/Course:FNH200/Projects/2026#Create_a_New_Project_Page Create Your Project Page] tool below and add the link here
|No
|-
|36
|
* If you are enhancing an existing page, add that existing link here
* If you are doing an interview or researching an endangered food, create a new link using the [https://wiki.ubc.ca/Course:FNH200/Projects/2026#Create_a_New_Project_Page Create Your Project Page] tool below and add the link here
|No
|}

== Create a New Project Page ==
For those planning to conduct an interview or explore an endangered food

=== 1. Login to the UBC Wiki ===
Click the CWL button on the top of the page and login from there.

=== 2. Create Your Project Page ===
Once your team have decided what endangered food you like to investigate, you may create your project page here.

For students planning an interview, you may still need to create a page so that you can share your exam question.

Again, make sure you are already logged in to the UBC Wiki before the next step.

* Pick your project title:
** Suggestion: Processing and safety of Swiss cheese

* Just '''add the title of your project to the box below''' and click on the '''create page''' button
* On the edit screen that loads, add some preliminary details to the edit screen and hit '''SAVE''' at the top or bottom of the page
* You may start writing your report here
<inputbox>
useve=yes
placeholder=project title here
preload=Course:FNH200/SampleProjectPage
prefix=Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/
type=create

</inputbox>

=== 3. Add Your Information to the Project Table ===
Once you have created your wiki page, add your product choice in the table below.

=== 4. Begin Writing! ===
Your new and almost blank wiki page will be created.

Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/Tai O shrimp paste

2026-08-13T21:11:04Z

AnsonChan: reference for img 2

'''Shrimp paste''' (Chinese: 蝦膏 / 蝦醬; Jyutping: ''haa1 gou1'' / ''haa1 zoeng3'') is a salt-fermented condiment used throughout [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantonese_cuisine Cantonese cuisine], produced from small planktonic shrimp of the genus ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetes Acetes]'' and salt alone. This article concerns the variety made in '''Tai O''', a stilt-house village on [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lantau_Island Lantau Island], Hong Kong, where production has fallen from roughly ten factories in the 1960s to approximately two today.

The product is of interest to food science because it is a low-acid, high-protein food that is shelf-stable at ambient temperature despite receiving no thermal process, no refrigeration and no added preservative. Its stability rests almost entirely on the reduction of water activity by salting and sun-drying.

[[File:Tai-o shrimp paste bamboo trays.png|thumb|right|300px|'''Shrimp paste spread on bamboo trays for sun-drying in Tai O.''' Image by Nicolas Petit for Zolima CityMag).<ref name="img-trays">SBS Food. ''A Taste of the Sea: Tai O’s Famous Shrimp Paste.'' ''SBS Food'', n.d. Retrieved August 2026, from <nowiki>https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/a-taste-of-the-sea-tai-os-famous-shrimp-paste/s831heim3</nowiki></ref>]]

== History and cultural significance ==

Tai O developed as a fishing and salt-producing settlement, and shrimp paste emerged as a means for the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanka_people Tanka] boat-dwelling community to preserve a seasonal krill catch using locally produced sea salt.<ref name="zolima" />

The industry peaked in the mid-twentieth century. Around ten factories operated in Tai O in the 1960s, and the nearby settlement of Ma Wan produced tens of thousands of kilograms annually; Ma Wan's factories are now derelict, and press reporting indicates approximately two producers remain active in Tai O.<ref name="localiiz-hist" /><ref name="localiiz-ich" /> The oldest surviving business, Cheng Cheung Hing, was founded in 1920 and is in its third generation of family ownership.<ref name="ihhk" /> Shrimp-paste making was included in Hong Kong's first [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intangible_cultural_heritage intangible cultural heritage] inventory of 480 items, announced in June 2014.<ref name="scmp" />

The product reached Canada through migration. Tai O paste was exported to Chinatowns in London, San Francisco and Vancouver, with Taishanese immigrant communities in North America forming a significant market, particularly for steamed minced pork cakes seasoned with salted shrimp.<ref name="sbs" />

== Production ==

''Acetes'' krill are washed, mixed with coarse salt, ground to a paste, fermented in open vats for approximately one to two months, then spread thinly on bamboo trays and sun-dried, with the trays turned regularly before the paste is reground and packed.<ref name="kingcha" />

The drying stage follows standard dehydration principles. Spreading the paste thinly maximises the surface-area-to-volume ratio, while ambient temperature and air movement drive moisture removal and high humidity slows it. Because producers cannot control the weather, they compensate using the only variable available to them: one Tai O maker has described adding several extra pounds of salt when rain is forecast, then blending that batch with a fair-weather batch to even out the final flavour.<ref name="goldthread" /> The same producer reports that his family reduced the recipe's salt level in the late 1990s following public health reporting on sodium.<ref name="goldthread" />

Fermentation is spontaneous rather than inoculated. No starter culture is added, and the microbial population derives from the shrimp and the salt themselves. Sequencing studies of comparable Asian shrimp pastes identify the halophilic lactic acid bacterium ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetragenococcus Tetragenococcus]'' as a dominant genus, alongside other salt-tolerant taxa.<ref name="rahayu" /><ref name="sang2021" />

== Preservation science ==

=== Water activity as the controlling hurdle ===

Published analyses of comparable Southeast Asian shrimp pastes report [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_activity water activity] between 0.63 and 0.74, with salt at roughly 13–17 g per 100 g.<ref name="pilapil" /><ref name="kapi" /> Most bacteria require a water activity above approximately 0.90 and most moulds above approximately 0.80; only halophilic bacteria, xerophilic moulds and osmophilic yeasts grow below 0.75. Shrimp paste therefore sits below the threshold for the great majority of spoilage and pathogenic organisms while remaining hospitable to the halotolerant population that carries out the fermentation.

Two hurdles act in combination: salt binds free water osmotically, and sun-drying removes water directly. Neither destroys microorganisms. Salting and dehydration suppress microbial growth rather than eliminate it, so surviving organisms remain viable and can resume activity if the product is rehydrated or diluted.

=== A low-acid food without a thermal process ===

Shrimp paste has a pH of approximately 6.8–7.7.<ref name="pilapil" /> It is therefore a low-acid food, well above the pH 4.6 boundary that separates foods in which ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clostridium_botulinum Clostridium botulinum]'' cannot grow from those requiring a full sterilising process. Shelf-stable low-acid foods are normally made safe by thermal processing. Shrimp paste substitutes a single non-thermal hurdle for that entire process, which is why the salt concentration is not a matter of taste alone.

=== Flavour and colour development ===

Endogenous shrimp proteases and enzymes from halophilic bacteria hydrolyse muscle protein into peptides and free amino acids.<ref name="sang2021" /> Liberated [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glutamic_acid glutamate] produces the paste's umami intensity, and the accumulating free amino acids also supply reactants for non-enzymatic browning during the long, warm maturation, contributing to the characteristic purple-brown colour.

== Safety and nutritional considerations ==

'''Biogenic amines.''' The proteolysis that generates flavour also supplies substrate for bacterial decarboxylases, producing [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biogenic_amine biogenic amines] including histamine, cadaverine and putrescine. Studies of Chinese shrimp pastes have found levels not consistently within recommended limits, against a suggested reference threshold of 50 mg/kg for histamine in fish.<ref name="sang2020" /> Biogenic amines are heat-stable, so cooking does not remove them. The evidence is not uniform: a study of ''Acetes'' paste fermented at 5–15% salt for 30 days detected no histamine and very low total plate counts, indicating that adequate salt and sufficient fermentation time can control amine formation effectively.<ref name="anggo" />

'''Sodium.''' At 13–17% salt the product is high in sodium. Low-salt reformulation is an active research area, complicated by the fact that reducing salt alters the microbial community on which the preservation system depends.<ref name="rahayu" />

'''Additives.''' Traditional Tai O paste contains no substance added for preservation, colour or texture, and so falls outside the regulatory definition of a food containing additives. Its stability is a consequence of processing alone.

'''Comparison with salted fish.''' A related product of the same villages shows that traditional salt preservation is not uniformly benign. Chinese-style salted fish is classified by the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Agency_for_Research_on_Cancer IARC] as a Group 1 carcinogen on the basis of its association with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, with N-nitroso compounds as the proposed mechanism.<ref name="iarc" /> This classification applies to salted fish and has not been extended to shrimp paste.

== Regulation of imported shrimp paste in Canada ==

Canadian oversight is divided between two statutes. Composition and labelling standards fall under the ''[https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/f-27/ Food and Drugs Act]'' and its regulations, administered by Health Canada. Crustaceans are a priority allergen and must be declared either by common name in the list of ingredients or in a "Contains" statement immediately following it.<ref name="hc" /> Because ''Acetes'' krill are the sole protein source, this declaration cannot be omitted.

Enforcement and import control fall under the ''[https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/S-1.1/ Safe Food for Canadians Act]'' and its regulations, administered by the [https://inspection.canada.ca/ Canadian Food Inspection Agency]. Importers of fish and seafood require a Safe Food for Canadians licence, a written preventive control plan and traceability records, and CFIA seafood surveillance samples for chemical residues, microbiological contamination, allergens and additives.<ref name="cfia" />

The below picture is an example of a commercially available shrimp paste product sold in Canada. The label identifies fermented shrimp and salt as ingredients and provides nutrition and product information. '''This product is not Tai O shrimp paste and is included only as an example of Canadian retail labelling.'''

[[File:Lee Kum Kee Canada Shrimp Paste Back Label.png|center|thumb|400px|'''Back label of a commercially available shrimp paste sold in Canada,''' showing the ingredient list and the crustacean allergen declaration required under the ''Food and Drug Regulations''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Walmart. Lee Kum Kee Fine Shrimp Sauce, 8 oz. Walmart, n.d. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.walmart.com/ip/Lee-Kum-Kee-Fine-Shrimp-Sauce-8-Ounce-Ja-Roasted/198988594|url=|url-status=live}}</ref> ]]

== Decline and competing pressures ==

Hong Kong prohibited trawling, including shrimp trawling, in its waters under the ''Fisheries Protection Ordinance'' (Cap. 171) with effect from 31 December 2012, across approximately 1,700 km² of territorial waters.<ref name="afcd" />

The measure has documented ecological benefits: post-ban surveys recorded large increases in predatory crab densities in both eastern and western Hong Kong waters.<ref name="bih" /> It also removed the local krill supply. At least one Tai O producer responded by relocating early-stage production to Yangjiang and Taishan in Guangdong while retaining final processing in Tai O,<ref name="ihhk" /> prompting commentary on whether a paste made from non-local shrimp and processed largely off-site remains a Hong Kong product.<ref name="ttdhk" />

Cheaper factory-made paste from mainland China and Southeast Asia has displaced Tai O producers in their home market while keeping the condiment affordable and widely available. Reporting attributes the remaining decline chiefly to an absence of successors willing to enter the trade.<ref name="localiiz-ich" />

== Proposed final examination question ==

'''Question: Tai O shrimp paste has a pH of approximately 6.8–7.7, contains no preservative other than salt, and is never heat-processed, yet it remains shelf-stable at ambient temperature for years. Which option best explains this?'''

'''A.''' The paste is an acid food, so ''Clostridium botulinum'' cannot grow in it and no further preservation is needed.

'''B.''' Salting and sun-drying reduce water activity below the level most microorganisms require, substituting for the thermal process a low-acid food would normally need.

'''C.''' Fermentation generates enough lactic acid to render the paste commercially sterile, destroying the microorganisms present.

'''D.''' Sun-drying heats the paste sufficiently to inactivate vegetative cells and spores, achieving the same result as commercial sterilization.

Correct answer: B

Explanation: At pH 6.8–7.7 the paste is a low-acid food, above the pH 4.6 boundary, so option A misstates the pH. Salting and sun-drying lower water activity to roughly 0.63–0.74, below the level required by most spoilage organisms and vegetative pathogens, leaving only halophilic and halotolerant organisms able to grow. Options C and D share a single misconception: that the preservation step destroys the microbial population. It does not. Salting, drying and fermentation suppress microbial growth rather than eliminate it, and the surviving organisms remain metabolically active — which is why proteolysis continues throughout maturation and heat-stable biogenic amines such as histamine can accumulate in a product that is nonetheless shelf-stable.

This question should be included on the FNH 200 final exam because it requires students to transfer the water activity and pH 4.6 concepts to an unfamiliar food rather than recall a lecture example, and because all three distractors test the same widespread error of treating "preserved", "unspoiled" and "safe" as the same property. That distinction generalises well beyond this product, to salted fish, cured meats and fermented sauces.

== See also ==

* [[Course:FNH200/Projects/2022/Bagoong|Bagoong (FNH 200, 2022)]] — a Filipino fermented shrimp and fish product differing in raw material, salt ratio and maturation
* [https://www.slowfood.com/biodiversity-programs/ark-of-taste/ Slow Food Foundation — Ark of Taste]

== References ==

<references>
<ref name="zolima">Zolima CityMag. ''Hong Kong's Salty History: Rebellion, Smuggling and Shrimp Paste''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://zolimacitymag.com/hong-kongs-salty-history-rebellion-smuggling-and-shrimp-paste/</ref>
<ref name="localiiz-hist">Localiiz. ''A History of Hong Kong Shrimp Paste''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.localiiz.com/post/food-drink-history-shrimp-paste-hong-kong</ref>
<ref name="localiiz-ich">Localiiz. ''10 Intangible Cultural Heritages to See and Experience Before They Vanish from Hong Kong''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.localiiz.com/post/culture-history-hong-kong-intangible-cultural-heritage-traditions-to-see-before-they-vanish</ref>
<ref name="ihhk">The Industrial History of Hong Kong Group. ''Cheng Cheung Hing Shrimp Paste Factory, Tai O''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://industrialhistoryhk.org/cheng-cheung-hing-shrimp-paste-factory-tai/</ref>
<ref name="scmp">South China Morning Post (2014). ''Tai O Is Losing Its Taste for Century-Old Shrimp Paste Flavour''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1593980/tai-o-losing-its-taste-century-old-shrimp-paste-flavour</ref>
<ref name="sbs">SBS Food. ''A Taste of the Sea: Tai O's Famous Shrimp Paste''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/a-taste-of-the-sea-tai-os-famous-shrimp-paste/s831heim3</ref>
<ref name="kingcha">Kingcha, Y. et al. ''Microbial Diversity During Processing of Thai Traditional Fermented Shrimp Paste, Determined by Next Generation Sequencing''. LWT — Food Science and Technology. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0023643819313313</ref>
<ref name="goldthread">Goldthread. ''In Hong Kong's Tai O, Making Shrimp Paste by Hand Is a Dying Trade''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.goldthread2.com/food/hong-kong-tai-o-making-shrimp-paste-hand-dying-trade/article/3088577</ref>
<ref name="rahayu">Rahayu, E. S. et al. ''A Review: Amino Acids, Biogenic Amines, and Microbial Diversity in Traditional Asian Fermented Shrimp-Based Products''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/398707829</ref>
<ref name="sang2021">Sang, X. et al. (2021). ''Assessment of the Distribution and Safety of Tetragenococcus muriaticus for Potential Application in the Preparation of Chinese Grasshopper Sub Shrimp Paste''. Frontiers in Microbiology. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.628838/full</ref>
<ref name="pilapil">Pilapil, M. C. et al. (2016). ''Chemical Quality Assessment of Traditional Salt-Fermented Shrimp Paste from Northern Mindanao, Philippines''. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. Retrieved August 2026, from https://scijournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jsfa.7167</ref>
<ref name="kapi">''Characterization and In Vitro Biological Activities of Thai Traditional Fermented Shrimp Pastes''. Journal of Food Science and Technology. Retrieved August 2026, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4348324/</ref>
<ref name="sang2020">Sang, X. et al. (2020). ''The Impact of Microbial Diversity on Biogenic Amines Formation in Grasshopper Sub Shrimp Paste During the Fermentation''. Frontiers in Microbiology. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7193991/</ref>
<ref name="anggo">''The Role of Various Salt Concentrations on Total Microbial Count and Histamine in Shrimp Paste (Acetes sp.)''. Journal of Tropical Food and Agroindustrial Technology. Retrieved August 2026, from https://jtfat.umsida.ac.id/index.php/jtfat/article/view/1673</ref>
<ref name="iarc">International Agency for Research on Cancer. ''IARC Monographs Volume 100E: Chinese-Style Salted Fish''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK304384/</ref>
<ref name="hc">Health Canada. ''Food Allergen Labelling''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/food-labelling/allergen-labelling.html</ref>
<ref name="cfia">Canadian Food Inspection Agency. ''Regulation of Imported Fish and Seafood Products in Canada''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://inspection.canada.ca/en/food-safety-consumers/fact-sheets/specific-products-and-risks/fish-and-seafood/imported-fish-and-seafood</ref>
<ref name="afcd">Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong SAR. ''Conservation of Fisheries Resources''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/fish_cap/fish_cap_con/fish_cap_con.html</ref>
<ref name="bih">Biodiversity Information Hub, Hong Kong SAR. ''Ecology and Biodiversity of Benthic Marine Ecosystems''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://bih.gov.hk/en/feature-studies/index-id-8.html</ref>
<ref name="ttdhk">Things To Do In HK. ''Shrimp Paste Factories: The Fading Culinary Heritage of Shrimp Paste''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://thingstodoinhk.com/article/shrimp-paste-factories</ref>
</references>

Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/Tai O shrimp paste

2026-08-13T21:02:21Z

AnsonChan: references for img1

'''Shrimp paste''' (Chinese: 蝦膏 / 蝦醬; Jyutping: ''haa1 gou1'' / ''haa1 zoeng3'') is a salt-fermented condiment used throughout [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantonese_cuisine Cantonese cuisine], produced from small planktonic shrimp of the genus ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetes Acetes]'' and salt alone. This article concerns the variety made in '''Tai O''', a stilt-house village on [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lantau_Island Lantau Island], Hong Kong, where production has fallen from roughly ten factories in the 1960s to approximately two today.

The product is of interest to food science because it is a low-acid, high-protein food that is shelf-stable at ambient temperature despite receiving no thermal process, no refrigeration and no added preservative. Its stability rests almost entirely on the reduction of water activity by salting and sun-drying.

[[File:Tai-o shrimp paste bamboo trays.png|thumb|right|300px|'''Shrimp paste spread on bamboo trays for sun-drying in Tai O.''' Image by Nicolas Petit for Zolima CityMag).<ref name="img-trays">SBS Food. ''A Taste of the Sea: Tai O’s Famous Shrimp Paste.'' ''SBS Food'', n.d. Retrieved August 2026, from <nowiki>https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/a-taste-of-the-sea-tai-os-famous-shrimp-paste/s831heim3</nowiki></ref>]]

== History and cultural significance ==

Tai O developed as a fishing and salt-producing settlement, and shrimp paste emerged as a means for the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanka_people Tanka] boat-dwelling community to preserve a seasonal krill catch using locally produced sea salt.<ref name="zolima" />

The industry peaked in the mid-twentieth century. Around ten factories operated in Tai O in the 1960s, and the nearby settlement of Ma Wan produced tens of thousands of kilograms annually; Ma Wan's factories are now derelict, and press reporting indicates approximately two producers remain active in Tai O.<ref name="localiiz-hist" /><ref name="localiiz-ich" /> The oldest surviving business, Cheng Cheung Hing, was founded in 1920 and is in its third generation of family ownership.<ref name="ihhk" /> Shrimp-paste making was included in Hong Kong's first [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intangible_cultural_heritage intangible cultural heritage] inventory of 480 items, announced in June 2014.<ref name="scmp" />

The product reached Canada through migration. Tai O paste was exported to Chinatowns in London, San Francisco and Vancouver, with Taishanese immigrant communities in North America forming a significant market, particularly for steamed minced pork cakes seasoned with salted shrimp.<ref name="sbs" />

== Production ==

''Acetes'' krill are washed, mixed with coarse salt, ground to a paste, fermented in open vats for approximately one to two months, then spread thinly on bamboo trays and sun-dried, with the trays turned regularly before the paste is reground and packed.<ref name="kingcha" />

The drying stage follows standard dehydration principles. Spreading the paste thinly maximises the surface-area-to-volume ratio, while ambient temperature and air movement drive moisture removal and high humidity slows it. Because producers cannot control the weather, they compensate using the only variable available to them: one Tai O maker has described adding several extra pounds of salt when rain is forecast, then blending that batch with a fair-weather batch to even out the final flavour.<ref name="goldthread" /> The same producer reports that his family reduced the recipe's salt level in the late 1990s following public health reporting on sodium.<ref name="goldthread" />

Fermentation is spontaneous rather than inoculated. No starter culture is added, and the microbial population derives from the shrimp and the salt themselves. Sequencing studies of comparable Asian shrimp pastes identify the halophilic lactic acid bacterium ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetragenococcus Tetragenococcus]'' as a dominant genus, alongside other salt-tolerant taxa.<ref name="rahayu" /><ref name="sang2021" />

== Preservation science ==

=== Water activity as the controlling hurdle ===

Published analyses of comparable Southeast Asian shrimp pastes report [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_activity water activity] between 0.63 and 0.74, with salt at roughly 13–17 g per 100 g.<ref name="pilapil" /><ref name="kapi" /> Most bacteria require a water activity above approximately 0.90 and most moulds above approximately 0.80; only halophilic bacteria, xerophilic moulds and osmophilic yeasts grow below 0.75. Shrimp paste therefore sits below the threshold for the great majority of spoilage and pathogenic organisms while remaining hospitable to the halotolerant population that carries out the fermentation.

Two hurdles act in combination: salt binds free water osmotically, and sun-drying removes water directly. Neither destroys microorganisms. Salting and dehydration suppress microbial growth rather than eliminate it, so surviving organisms remain viable and can resume activity if the product is rehydrated or diluted.

=== A low-acid food without a thermal process ===

Shrimp paste has a pH of approximately 6.8–7.7.<ref name="pilapil" /> It is therefore a low-acid food, well above the pH 4.6 boundary that separates foods in which ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clostridium_botulinum Clostridium botulinum]'' cannot grow from those requiring a full sterilising process. Shelf-stable low-acid foods are normally made safe by thermal processing. Shrimp paste substitutes a single non-thermal hurdle for that entire process, which is why the salt concentration is not a matter of taste alone.

=== Flavour and colour development ===

Endogenous shrimp proteases and enzymes from halophilic bacteria hydrolyse muscle protein into peptides and free amino acids.<ref name="sang2021" /> Liberated [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glutamic_acid glutamate] produces the paste's umami intensity, and the accumulating free amino acids also supply reactants for non-enzymatic browning during the long, warm maturation, contributing to the characteristic purple-brown colour.

== Safety and nutritional considerations ==

'''Biogenic amines.''' The proteolysis that generates flavour also supplies substrate for bacterial decarboxylases, producing [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biogenic_amine biogenic amines] including histamine, cadaverine and putrescine. Studies of Chinese shrimp pastes have found levels not consistently within recommended limits, against a suggested reference threshold of 50 mg/kg for histamine in fish.<ref name="sang2020" /> Biogenic amines are heat-stable, so cooking does not remove them. The evidence is not uniform: a study of ''Acetes'' paste fermented at 5–15% salt for 30 days detected no histamine and very low total plate counts, indicating that adequate salt and sufficient fermentation time can control amine formation effectively.<ref name="anggo" />

'''Sodium.''' At 13–17% salt the product is high in sodium. Low-salt reformulation is an active research area, complicated by the fact that reducing salt alters the microbial community on which the preservation system depends.<ref name="rahayu" />

'''Additives.''' Traditional Tai O paste contains no substance added for preservation, colour or texture, and so falls outside the regulatory definition of a food containing additives. Its stability is a consequence of processing alone.

'''Comparison with salted fish.''' A related product of the same villages shows that traditional salt preservation is not uniformly benign. Chinese-style salted fish is classified by the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Agency_for_Research_on_Cancer IARC] as a Group 1 carcinogen on the basis of its association with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, with N-nitroso compounds as the proposed mechanism.<ref name="iarc" /> This classification applies to salted fish and has not been extended to shrimp paste.

== Regulation of imported shrimp paste in Canada ==

Canadian oversight is divided between two statutes. Composition and labelling standards fall under the ''[https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/f-27/ Food and Drugs Act]'' and its regulations, administered by Health Canada. Crustaceans are a priority allergen and must be declared either by common name in the list of ingredients or in a "Contains" statement immediately following it.<ref name="hc" /> Because ''Acetes'' krill are the sole protein source, this declaration cannot be omitted.

Enforcement and import control fall under the ''[https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/S-1.1/ Safe Food for Canadians Act]'' and its regulations, administered by the [https://inspection.canada.ca/ Canadian Food Inspection Agency]. Importers of fish and seafood require a Safe Food for Canadians licence, a written preventive control plan and traceability records, and CFIA seafood surveillance samples for chemical residues, microbiological contamination, allergens and additives.<ref name="cfia" />

The below picture is an example of a commercially available shrimp paste product sold in Canada. The label identifies fermented shrimp and salt as ingredients and provides nutrition and product information. '''This product is not Tai O shrimp paste and is included only as an example of Canadian retail labelling.'''

[[File:Lee Kum Kee Canada Shrimp Paste Back Label.png|center|thumb|400px|'''Back label of a commercially available shrimp paste sold in Canada,''' showing the ingredient list and the crustacean allergen declaration required under the ''Food and Drug Regulations''. ]]

== Decline and competing pressures ==

Hong Kong prohibited trawling, including shrimp trawling, in its waters under the ''Fisheries Protection Ordinance'' (Cap. 171) with effect from 31 December 2012, across approximately 1,700 km² of territorial waters.<ref name="afcd" />

The measure has documented ecological benefits: post-ban surveys recorded large increases in predatory crab densities in both eastern and western Hong Kong waters.<ref name="bih" /> It also removed the local krill supply. At least one Tai O producer responded by relocating early-stage production to Yangjiang and Taishan in Guangdong while retaining final processing in Tai O,<ref name="ihhk" /> prompting commentary on whether a paste made from non-local shrimp and processed largely off-site remains a Hong Kong product.<ref name="ttdhk" />

Cheaper factory-made paste from mainland China and Southeast Asia has displaced Tai O producers in their home market while keeping the condiment affordable and widely available. Reporting attributes the remaining decline chiefly to an absence of successors willing to enter the trade.<ref name="localiiz-ich" />

== Proposed final examination question ==

'''Question: Tai O shrimp paste has a pH of approximately 6.8–7.7, contains no preservative other than salt, and is never heat-processed, yet it remains shelf-stable at ambient temperature for years. Which option best explains this?'''

'''A.''' The paste is an acid food, so ''Clostridium botulinum'' cannot grow in it and no further preservation is needed.

'''B.''' Salting and sun-drying reduce water activity below the level most microorganisms require, substituting for the thermal process a low-acid food would normally need.

'''C.''' Fermentation generates enough lactic acid to render the paste commercially sterile, destroying the microorganisms present.

'''D.''' Sun-drying heats the paste sufficiently to inactivate vegetative cells and spores, achieving the same result as commercial sterilization.

Correct answer: B

Explanation: At pH 6.8–7.7 the paste is a low-acid food, above the pH 4.6 boundary, so option A misstates the pH. Salting and sun-drying lower water activity to roughly 0.63–0.74, below the level required by most spoilage organisms and vegetative pathogens, leaving only halophilic and halotolerant organisms able to grow. Options C and D share a single misconception: that the preservation step destroys the microbial population. It does not. Salting, drying and fermentation suppress microbial growth rather than eliminate it, and the surviving organisms remain metabolically active — which is why proteolysis continues throughout maturation and heat-stable biogenic amines such as histamine can accumulate in a product that is nonetheless shelf-stable.

This question should be included on the FNH 200 final exam because it requires students to transfer the water activity and pH 4.6 concepts to an unfamiliar food rather than recall a lecture example, and because all three distractors test the same widespread error of treating "preserved", "unspoiled" and "safe" as the same property. That distinction generalises well beyond this product, to salted fish, cured meats and fermented sauces.

== See also ==

* [[Course:FNH200/Projects/2022/Bagoong|Bagoong (FNH 200, 2022)]] — a Filipino fermented shrimp and fish product differing in raw material, salt ratio and maturation
* [https://www.slowfood.com/biodiversity-programs/ark-of-taste/ Slow Food Foundation — Ark of Taste]

== References ==

<references>
<ref name="zolima">Zolima CityMag. ''Hong Kong's Salty History: Rebellion, Smuggling and Shrimp Paste''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://zolimacitymag.com/hong-kongs-salty-history-rebellion-smuggling-and-shrimp-paste/</ref>
<ref name="localiiz-hist">Localiiz. ''A History of Hong Kong Shrimp Paste''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.localiiz.com/post/food-drink-history-shrimp-paste-hong-kong</ref>
<ref name="localiiz-ich">Localiiz. ''10 Intangible Cultural Heritages to See and Experience Before They Vanish from Hong Kong''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.localiiz.com/post/culture-history-hong-kong-intangible-cultural-heritage-traditions-to-see-before-they-vanish</ref>
<ref name="ihhk">The Industrial History of Hong Kong Group. ''Cheng Cheung Hing Shrimp Paste Factory, Tai O''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://industrialhistoryhk.org/cheng-cheung-hing-shrimp-paste-factory-tai/</ref>
<ref name="scmp">South China Morning Post (2014). ''Tai O Is Losing Its Taste for Century-Old Shrimp Paste Flavour''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1593980/tai-o-losing-its-taste-century-old-shrimp-paste-flavour</ref>
<ref name="sbs">SBS Food. ''A Taste of the Sea: Tai O's Famous Shrimp Paste''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/a-taste-of-the-sea-tai-os-famous-shrimp-paste/s831heim3</ref>
<ref name="kingcha">Kingcha, Y. et al. ''Microbial Diversity During Processing of Thai Traditional Fermented Shrimp Paste, Determined by Next Generation Sequencing''. LWT — Food Science and Technology. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0023643819313313</ref>
<ref name="goldthread">Goldthread. ''In Hong Kong's Tai O, Making Shrimp Paste by Hand Is a Dying Trade''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.goldthread2.com/food/hong-kong-tai-o-making-shrimp-paste-hand-dying-trade/article/3088577</ref>
<ref name="rahayu">Rahayu, E. S. et al. ''A Review: Amino Acids, Biogenic Amines, and Microbial Diversity in Traditional Asian Fermented Shrimp-Based Products''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/398707829</ref>
<ref name="sang2021">Sang, X. et al. (2021). ''Assessment of the Distribution and Safety of Tetragenococcus muriaticus for Potential Application in the Preparation of Chinese Grasshopper Sub Shrimp Paste''. Frontiers in Microbiology. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.628838/full</ref>
<ref name="pilapil">Pilapil, M. C. et al. (2016). ''Chemical Quality Assessment of Traditional Salt-Fermented Shrimp Paste from Northern Mindanao, Philippines''. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. Retrieved August 2026, from https://scijournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jsfa.7167</ref>
<ref name="kapi">''Characterization and In Vitro Biological Activities of Thai Traditional Fermented Shrimp Pastes''. Journal of Food Science and Technology. Retrieved August 2026, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4348324/</ref>
<ref name="sang2020">Sang, X. et al. (2020). ''The Impact of Microbial Diversity on Biogenic Amines Formation in Grasshopper Sub Shrimp Paste During the Fermentation''. Frontiers in Microbiology. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7193991/</ref>
<ref name="anggo">''The Role of Various Salt Concentrations on Total Microbial Count and Histamine in Shrimp Paste (Acetes sp.)''. Journal of Tropical Food and Agroindustrial Technology. Retrieved August 2026, from https://jtfat.umsida.ac.id/index.php/jtfat/article/view/1673</ref>
<ref name="iarc">International Agency for Research on Cancer. ''IARC Monographs Volume 100E: Chinese-Style Salted Fish''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK304384/</ref>
<ref name="hc">Health Canada. ''Food Allergen Labelling''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/food-labelling/allergen-labelling.html</ref>
<ref name="cfia">Canadian Food Inspection Agency. ''Regulation of Imported Fish and Seafood Products in Canada''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://inspection.canada.ca/en/food-safety-consumers/fact-sheets/specific-products-and-risks/fish-and-seafood/imported-fish-and-seafood</ref>
<ref name="afcd">Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong SAR. ''Conservation of Fisheries Resources''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/fish_cap/fish_cap_con/fish_cap_con.html</ref>
<ref name="bih">Biodiversity Information Hub, Hong Kong SAR. ''Ecology and Biodiversity of Benthic Marine Ecosystems''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://bih.gov.hk/en/feature-studies/index-id-8.html</ref>
<ref name="ttdhk">Things To Do In HK. ''Shrimp Paste Factories: The Fading Culinary Heritage of Shrimp Paste''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://thingstodoinhk.com/article/shrimp-paste-factories</ref>
</references>

Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/Tai O shrimp paste

2026-08-13T20:59:02Z

AnsonChan: captions

'''Shrimp paste''' (Chinese: 蝦膏 / 蝦醬; Jyutping: ''haa1 gou1'' / ''haa1 zoeng3'') is a salt-fermented condiment used throughout [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantonese_cuisine Cantonese cuisine], produced from small planktonic shrimp of the genus ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetes Acetes]'' and salt alone. This article concerns the variety made in '''Tai O''', a stilt-house village on [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lantau_Island Lantau Island], Hong Kong, where production has fallen from roughly ten factories in the 1960s to approximately two today.

The product is of interest to food science because it is a low-acid, high-protein food that is shelf-stable at ambient temperature despite receiving no thermal process, no refrigeration and no added preservative. Its stability rests almost entirely on the reduction of water activity by salting and sun-drying.

[[File:Tai-o shrimp paste bamboo trays.png|thumb|right|300px|'''Shrimp paste spread on bamboo trays for sun-drying in Tai O.''' Image by Nicolas Petit for Zolima CityMag).<ref name="img-trays">[AUTHOR]. ''[FILE TITLE]''. ''[SOURCE]'', [DATE]. Retrieved August 2026, from [URL]</ref>]]

== History and cultural significance ==

Tai O developed as a fishing and salt-producing settlement, and shrimp paste emerged as a means for the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanka_people Tanka] boat-dwelling community to preserve a seasonal krill catch using locally produced sea salt.<ref name="zolima" />

The industry peaked in the mid-twentieth century. Around ten factories operated in Tai O in the 1960s, and the nearby settlement of Ma Wan produced tens of thousands of kilograms annually; Ma Wan's factories are now derelict, and press reporting indicates approximately two producers remain active in Tai O.<ref name="localiiz-hist" /><ref name="localiiz-ich" /> The oldest surviving business, Cheng Cheung Hing, was founded in 1920 and is in its third generation of family ownership.<ref name="ihhk" /> Shrimp-paste making was included in Hong Kong's first [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intangible_cultural_heritage intangible cultural heritage] inventory of 480 items, announced in June 2014.<ref name="scmp" />

The product reached Canada through migration. Tai O paste was exported to Chinatowns in London, San Francisco and Vancouver, with Taishanese immigrant communities in North America forming a significant market, particularly for steamed minced pork cakes seasoned with salted shrimp.<ref name="sbs" />

== Production ==

''Acetes'' krill are washed, mixed with coarse salt, ground to a paste, fermented in open vats for approximately one to two months, then spread thinly on bamboo trays and sun-dried, with the trays turned regularly before the paste is reground and packed.<ref name="kingcha" />

The drying stage follows standard dehydration principles. Spreading the paste thinly maximises the surface-area-to-volume ratio, while ambient temperature and air movement drive moisture removal and high humidity slows it. Because producers cannot control the weather, they compensate using the only variable available to them: one Tai O maker has described adding several extra pounds of salt when rain is forecast, then blending that batch with a fair-weather batch to even out the final flavour.<ref name="goldthread" /> The same producer reports that his family reduced the recipe's salt level in the late 1990s following public health reporting on sodium.<ref name="goldthread" />

Fermentation is spontaneous rather than inoculated. No starter culture is added, and the microbial population derives from the shrimp and the salt themselves. Sequencing studies of comparable Asian shrimp pastes identify the halophilic lactic acid bacterium ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetragenococcus Tetragenococcus]'' as a dominant genus, alongside other salt-tolerant taxa.<ref name="rahayu" /><ref name="sang2021" />

== Preservation science ==

=== Water activity as the controlling hurdle ===

Published analyses of comparable Southeast Asian shrimp pastes report [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_activity water activity] between 0.63 and 0.74, with salt at roughly 13–17 g per 100 g.<ref name="pilapil" /><ref name="kapi" /> Most bacteria require a water activity above approximately 0.90 and most moulds above approximately 0.80; only halophilic bacteria, xerophilic moulds and osmophilic yeasts grow below 0.75. Shrimp paste therefore sits below the threshold for the great majority of spoilage and pathogenic organisms while remaining hospitable to the halotolerant population that carries out the fermentation.

Two hurdles act in combination: salt binds free water osmotically, and sun-drying removes water directly. Neither destroys microorganisms. Salting and dehydration suppress microbial growth rather than eliminate it, so surviving organisms remain viable and can resume activity if the product is rehydrated or diluted.

=== A low-acid food without a thermal process ===

Shrimp paste has a pH of approximately 6.8–7.7.<ref name="pilapil" /> It is therefore a low-acid food, well above the pH 4.6 boundary that separates foods in which ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clostridium_botulinum Clostridium botulinum]'' cannot grow from those requiring a full sterilising process. Shelf-stable low-acid foods are normally made safe by thermal processing. Shrimp paste substitutes a single non-thermal hurdle for that entire process, which is why the salt concentration is not a matter of taste alone.

=== Flavour and colour development ===

Endogenous shrimp proteases and enzymes from halophilic bacteria hydrolyse muscle protein into peptides and free amino acids.<ref name="sang2021" /> Liberated [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glutamic_acid glutamate] produces the paste's umami intensity, and the accumulating free amino acids also supply reactants for non-enzymatic browning during the long, warm maturation, contributing to the characteristic purple-brown colour.

== Safety and nutritional considerations ==

'''Biogenic amines.''' The proteolysis that generates flavour also supplies substrate for bacterial decarboxylases, producing [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biogenic_amine biogenic amines] including histamine, cadaverine and putrescine. Studies of Chinese shrimp pastes have found levels not consistently within recommended limits, against a suggested reference threshold of 50 mg/kg for histamine in fish.<ref name="sang2020" /> Biogenic amines are heat-stable, so cooking does not remove them. The evidence is not uniform: a study of ''Acetes'' paste fermented at 5–15% salt for 30 days detected no histamine and very low total plate counts, indicating that adequate salt and sufficient fermentation time can control amine formation effectively.<ref name="anggo" />

'''Sodium.''' At 13–17% salt the product is high in sodium. Low-salt reformulation is an active research area, complicated by the fact that reducing salt alters the microbial community on which the preservation system depends.<ref name="rahayu" />

'''Additives.''' Traditional Tai O paste contains no substance added for preservation, colour or texture, and so falls outside the regulatory definition of a food containing additives. Its stability is a consequence of processing alone.

'''Comparison with salted fish.''' A related product of the same villages shows that traditional salt preservation is not uniformly benign. Chinese-style salted fish is classified by the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Agency_for_Research_on_Cancer IARC] as a Group 1 carcinogen on the basis of its association with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, with N-nitroso compounds as the proposed mechanism.<ref name="iarc" /> This classification applies to salted fish and has not been extended to shrimp paste.

== Regulation of imported shrimp paste in Canada ==

Canadian oversight is divided between two statutes. Composition and labelling standards fall under the ''[https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/f-27/ Food and Drugs Act]'' and its regulations, administered by Health Canada. Crustaceans are a priority allergen and must be declared either by common name in the list of ingredients or in a "Contains" statement immediately following it.<ref name="hc" /> Because ''Acetes'' krill are the sole protein source, this declaration cannot be omitted.

Enforcement and import control fall under the ''[https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/S-1.1/ Safe Food for Canadians Act]'' and its regulations, administered by the [https://inspection.canada.ca/ Canadian Food Inspection Agency]. Importers of fish and seafood require a Safe Food for Canadians licence, a written preventive control plan and traceability records, and CFIA seafood surveillance samples for chemical residues, microbiological contamination, allergens and additives.<ref name="cfia" />

The below picture is an example of a commercially available shrimp paste product sold in Canada. The label identifies fermented shrimp and salt as ingredients and provides nutrition and product information. '''This product is not Tai O shrimp paste and is included only as an example of Canadian retail labelling.'''

[[File:Lee Kum Kee Canada Shrimp Paste Back Label.png|center|thumb|400px|'''Back label of a commercially available shrimp paste sold in Canada,''' showing the ingredient list and the crustacean allergen declaration required under the ''Food and Drug Regulations''. ]]

== Decline and competing pressures ==

Hong Kong prohibited trawling, including shrimp trawling, in its waters under the ''Fisheries Protection Ordinance'' (Cap. 171) with effect from 31 December 2012, across approximately 1,700 km² of territorial waters.<ref name="afcd" />

The measure has documented ecological benefits: post-ban surveys recorded large increases in predatory crab densities in both eastern and western Hong Kong waters.<ref name="bih" /> It also removed the local krill supply. At least one Tai O producer responded by relocating early-stage production to Yangjiang and Taishan in Guangdong while retaining final processing in Tai O,<ref name="ihhk" /> prompting commentary on whether a paste made from non-local shrimp and processed largely off-site remains a Hong Kong product.<ref name="ttdhk" />

Cheaper factory-made paste from mainland China and Southeast Asia has displaced Tai O producers in their home market while keeping the condiment affordable and widely available. Reporting attributes the remaining decline chiefly to an absence of successors willing to enter the trade.<ref name="localiiz-ich" />

== Proposed final examination question ==

'''Question: Tai O shrimp paste has a pH of approximately 6.8–7.7, contains no preservative other than salt, and is never heat-processed, yet it remains shelf-stable at ambient temperature for years. Which option best explains this?'''

'''A.''' The paste is an acid food, so ''Clostridium botulinum'' cannot grow in it and no further preservation is needed.

'''B.''' Salting and sun-drying reduce water activity below the level most microorganisms require, substituting for the thermal process a low-acid food would normally need.

'''C.''' Fermentation generates enough lactic acid to render the paste commercially sterile, destroying the microorganisms present.

'''D.''' Sun-drying heats the paste sufficiently to inactivate vegetative cells and spores, achieving the same result as commercial sterilization.

Correct answer: B

Explanation: At pH 6.8–7.7 the paste is a low-acid food, above the pH 4.6 boundary, so option A misstates the pH. Salting and sun-drying lower water activity to roughly 0.63–0.74, below the level required by most spoilage organisms and vegetative pathogens, leaving only halophilic and halotolerant organisms able to grow. Options C and D share a single misconception: that the preservation step destroys the microbial population. It does not. Salting, drying and fermentation suppress microbial growth rather than eliminate it, and the surviving organisms remain metabolically active — which is why proteolysis continues throughout maturation and heat-stable biogenic amines such as histamine can accumulate in a product that is nonetheless shelf-stable.

This question should be included on the FNH 200 final exam because it requires students to transfer the water activity and pH 4.6 concepts to an unfamiliar food rather than recall a lecture example, and because all three distractors test the same widespread error of treating "preserved", "unspoiled" and "safe" as the same property. That distinction generalises well beyond this product, to salted fish, cured meats and fermented sauces.

== See also ==

* [[Course:FNH200/Projects/2022/Bagoong|Bagoong (FNH 200, 2022)]] — a Filipino fermented shrimp and fish product differing in raw material, salt ratio and maturation
* [https://www.slowfood.com/biodiversity-programs/ark-of-taste/ Slow Food Foundation — Ark of Taste]

== References ==

<references>
<ref name="zolima">Zolima CityMag. ''Hong Kong's Salty History: Rebellion, Smuggling and Shrimp Paste''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://zolimacitymag.com/hong-kongs-salty-history-rebellion-smuggling-and-shrimp-paste/</ref>
<ref name="localiiz-hist">Localiiz. ''A History of Hong Kong Shrimp Paste''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.localiiz.com/post/food-drink-history-shrimp-paste-hong-kong</ref>
<ref name="localiiz-ich">Localiiz. ''10 Intangible Cultural Heritages to See and Experience Before They Vanish from Hong Kong''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.localiiz.com/post/culture-history-hong-kong-intangible-cultural-heritage-traditions-to-see-before-they-vanish</ref>
<ref name="ihhk">The Industrial History of Hong Kong Group. ''Cheng Cheung Hing Shrimp Paste Factory, Tai O''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://industrialhistoryhk.org/cheng-cheung-hing-shrimp-paste-factory-tai/</ref>
<ref name="scmp">South China Morning Post (2014). ''Tai O Is Losing Its Taste for Century-Old Shrimp Paste Flavour''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1593980/tai-o-losing-its-taste-century-old-shrimp-paste-flavour</ref>
<ref name="sbs">SBS Food. ''A Taste of the Sea: Tai O's Famous Shrimp Paste''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/a-taste-of-the-sea-tai-os-famous-shrimp-paste/s831heim3</ref>
<ref name="kingcha">Kingcha, Y. et al. ''Microbial Diversity During Processing of Thai Traditional Fermented Shrimp Paste, Determined by Next Generation Sequencing''. LWT — Food Science and Technology. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0023643819313313</ref>
<ref name="goldthread">Goldthread. ''In Hong Kong's Tai O, Making Shrimp Paste by Hand Is a Dying Trade''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.goldthread2.com/food/hong-kong-tai-o-making-shrimp-paste-hand-dying-trade/article/3088577</ref>
<ref name="rahayu">Rahayu, E. S. et al. ''A Review: Amino Acids, Biogenic Amines, and Microbial Diversity in Traditional Asian Fermented Shrimp-Based Products''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/398707829</ref>
<ref name="sang2021">Sang, X. et al. (2021). ''Assessment of the Distribution and Safety of Tetragenococcus muriaticus for Potential Application in the Preparation of Chinese Grasshopper Sub Shrimp Paste''. Frontiers in Microbiology. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.628838/full</ref>
<ref name="pilapil">Pilapil, M. C. et al. (2016). ''Chemical Quality Assessment of Traditional Salt-Fermented Shrimp Paste from Northern Mindanao, Philippines''. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. Retrieved August 2026, from https://scijournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jsfa.7167</ref>
<ref name="kapi">''Characterization and In Vitro Biological Activities of Thai Traditional Fermented Shrimp Pastes''. Journal of Food Science and Technology. Retrieved August 2026, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4348324/</ref>
<ref name="sang2020">Sang, X. et al. (2020). ''The Impact of Microbial Diversity on Biogenic Amines Formation in Grasshopper Sub Shrimp Paste During the Fermentation''. Frontiers in Microbiology. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7193991/</ref>
<ref name="anggo">''The Role of Various Salt Concentrations on Total Microbial Count and Histamine in Shrimp Paste (Acetes sp.)''. Journal of Tropical Food and Agroindustrial Technology. Retrieved August 2026, from https://jtfat.umsida.ac.id/index.php/jtfat/article/view/1673</ref>
<ref name="iarc">International Agency for Research on Cancer. ''IARC Monographs Volume 100E: Chinese-Style Salted Fish''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK304384/</ref>
<ref name="hc">Health Canada. ''Food Allergen Labelling''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/food-labelling/allergen-labelling.html</ref>
<ref name="cfia">Canadian Food Inspection Agency. ''Regulation of Imported Fish and Seafood Products in Canada''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://inspection.canada.ca/en/food-safety-consumers/fact-sheets/specific-products-and-risks/fish-and-seafood/imported-fish-and-seafood</ref>
<ref name="afcd">Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong SAR. ''Conservation of Fisheries Resources''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/fish_cap/fish_cap_con/fish_cap_con.html</ref>
<ref name="bih">Biodiversity Information Hub, Hong Kong SAR. ''Ecology and Biodiversity of Benthic Marine Ecosystems''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://bih.gov.hk/en/feature-studies/index-id-8.html</ref>
<ref name="ttdhk">Things To Do In HK. ''Shrimp Paste Factories: The Fading Culinary Heritage of Shrimp Paste''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://thingstodoinhk.com/article/shrimp-paste-factories</ref>
</references>

Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/Tai O shrimp paste

2026-08-13T16:33:51Z

AnsonChan: add note about label misrepresentation

'''Shrimp paste''' (Chinese: 蝦膏 / 蝦醬; Jyutping: ''haa1 gou1'' / ''haa1 zoeng3'') is a salt-fermented condiment used throughout [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantonese_cuisine Cantonese cuisine], produced from small planktonic shrimp of the genus ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetes Acetes]'' and salt alone. This article concerns the variety made in '''Tai O''', a stilt-house village on [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lantau_Island Lantau Island], Hong Kong, where production has fallen from roughly ten factories in the 1960s to approximately two today.

The product is of interest to food science because it is a low-acid, high-protein food that is shelf-stable at ambient temperature despite receiving no thermal process, no refrigeration and no added preservative. Its stability rests almost entirely on the reduction of water activity by salting and sun-drying.

[[File:Tai-o shrimp paste bamboo trays.png|500x500px]]

== History and cultural significance ==

Tai O developed as a fishing and salt-producing settlement, and shrimp paste emerged as a means for the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanka_people Tanka] boat-dwelling community to preserve a seasonal krill catch using locally produced sea salt.<ref name="zolima" />

The industry peaked in the mid-twentieth century. Around ten factories operated in Tai O in the 1960s, and the nearby settlement of Ma Wan produced tens of thousands of kilograms annually; Ma Wan's factories are now derelict, and press reporting indicates approximately two producers remain active in Tai O.<ref name="localiiz-hist" /><ref name="localiiz-ich" /> The oldest surviving business, Cheng Cheung Hing, was founded in 1920 and is in its third generation of family ownership.<ref name="ihhk" /> Shrimp-paste making was included in Hong Kong's first [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intangible_cultural_heritage intangible cultural heritage] inventory of 480 items, announced in June 2014.<ref name="scmp" />

The product reached Canada through migration. Tai O paste was exported to Chinatowns in London, San Francisco and Vancouver, with Taishanese immigrant communities in North America forming a significant market, particularly for steamed minced pork cakes seasoned with salted shrimp.<ref name="sbs" />

== Production ==

''Acetes'' krill are washed, mixed with coarse salt, ground to a paste, fermented in open vats for approximately one to two months, then spread thinly on bamboo trays and sun-dried, with the trays turned regularly before the paste is reground and packed.<ref name="kingcha" />

The drying stage follows standard dehydration principles. Spreading the paste thinly maximises the surface-area-to-volume ratio, while ambient temperature and air movement drive moisture removal and high humidity slows it. Because producers cannot control the weather, they compensate using the only variable available to them: one Tai O maker has described adding several extra pounds of salt when rain is forecast, then blending that batch with a fair-weather batch to even out the final flavour.<ref name="goldthread" /> The same producer reports that his family reduced the recipe's salt level in the late 1990s following public health reporting on sodium.<ref name="goldthread" />

Fermentation is spontaneous rather than inoculated. No starter culture is added, and the microbial population derives from the shrimp and the salt themselves. Sequencing studies of comparable Asian shrimp pastes identify the halophilic lactic acid bacterium ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetragenococcus Tetragenococcus]'' as a dominant genus, alongside other salt-tolerant taxa.<ref name="rahayu" /><ref name="sang2021" />

== Preservation science ==

=== Water activity as the controlling hurdle ===

Published analyses of comparable Southeast Asian shrimp pastes report [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_activity water activity] between 0.63 and 0.74, with salt at roughly 13–17 g per 100 g.<ref name="pilapil" /><ref name="kapi" /> Most bacteria require a water activity above approximately 0.90 and most moulds above approximately 0.80; only halophilic bacteria, xerophilic moulds and osmophilic yeasts grow below 0.75. Shrimp paste therefore sits below the threshold for the great majority of spoilage and pathogenic organisms while remaining hospitable to the halotolerant population that carries out the fermentation.

Two hurdles act in combination: salt binds free water osmotically, and sun-drying removes water directly. Neither destroys microorganisms. Salting and dehydration suppress microbial growth rather than eliminate it, so surviving organisms remain viable and can resume activity if the product is rehydrated or diluted.

=== A low-acid food without a thermal process ===

Shrimp paste has a pH of approximately 6.8–7.7.<ref name="pilapil" /> It is therefore a low-acid food, well above the pH 4.6 boundary that separates foods in which ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clostridium_botulinum Clostridium botulinum]'' cannot grow from those requiring a full sterilising process. Shelf-stable low-acid foods are normally made safe by thermal processing. Shrimp paste substitutes a single non-thermal hurdle for that entire process, which is why the salt concentration is not a matter of taste alone.

=== Flavour and colour development ===

Endogenous shrimp proteases and enzymes from halophilic bacteria hydrolyse muscle protein into peptides and free amino acids.<ref name="sang2021" /> Liberated [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glutamic_acid glutamate] produces the paste's umami intensity, and the accumulating free amino acids also supply reactants for non-enzymatic browning during the long, warm maturation, contributing to the characteristic purple-brown colour.

== Safety and nutritional considerations ==

'''Biogenic amines.''' The proteolysis that generates flavour also supplies substrate for bacterial decarboxylases, producing [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biogenic_amine biogenic amines] including histamine, cadaverine and putrescine. Studies of Chinese shrimp pastes have found levels not consistently within recommended limits, against a suggested reference threshold of 50 mg/kg for histamine in fish.<ref name="sang2020" /> Biogenic amines are heat-stable, so cooking does not remove them. The evidence is not uniform: a study of ''Acetes'' paste fermented at 5–15% salt for 30 days detected no histamine and very low total plate counts, indicating that adequate salt and sufficient fermentation time can control amine formation effectively.<ref name="anggo" />

'''Sodium.''' At 13–17% salt the product is high in sodium. Low-salt reformulation is an active research area, complicated by the fact that reducing salt alters the microbial community on which the preservation system depends.<ref name="rahayu" />

'''Additives.''' Traditional Tai O paste contains no substance added for preservation, colour or texture, and so falls outside the regulatory definition of a food containing additives. Its stability is a consequence of processing alone.

'''Comparison with salted fish.''' A related product of the same villages shows that traditional salt preservation is not uniformly benign. Chinese-style salted fish is classified by the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Agency_for_Research_on_Cancer IARC] as a Group 1 carcinogen on the basis of its association with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, with N-nitroso compounds as the proposed mechanism.<ref name="iarc" /> This classification applies to salted fish and has not been extended to shrimp paste.

== Regulation of imported shrimp paste in Canada ==

Canadian oversight is divided between two statutes. Composition and labelling standards fall under the ''[https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/f-27/ Food and Drugs Act]'' and its regulations, administered by Health Canada. Crustaceans are a priority allergen and must be declared either by common name in the list of ingredients or in a "Contains" statement immediately following it.<ref name="hc" /> Because ''Acetes'' krill are the sole protein source, this declaration cannot be omitted.

Enforcement and import control fall under the ''[https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/S-1.1/ Safe Food for Canadians Act]'' and its regulations, administered by the [https://inspection.canada.ca/ Canadian Food Inspection Agency]. Importers of fish and seafood require a Safe Food for Canadians licence, a written preventive control plan and traceability records, and CFIA seafood surveillance samples for chemical residues, microbiological contamination, allergens and additives.<ref name="cfia" />

The below picture is an example of a commercially available shrimp paste product sold in Canada. The label identifies fermented shrimp and salt as ingredients and provides nutrition and product information. '''This product is not Tai O shrimp paste and is included only as an example of Canadian retail labelling.'''

[[File:Lee Kum Kee Canada Shrimp Paste Back Label.png|400x400px]]

== Decline and competing pressures ==

Hong Kong prohibited trawling, including shrimp trawling, in its waters under the ''Fisheries Protection Ordinance'' (Cap. 171) with effect from 31 December 2012, across approximately 1,700 km² of territorial waters.<ref name="afcd" />

The measure has documented ecological benefits: post-ban surveys recorded large increases in predatory crab densities in both eastern and western Hong Kong waters.<ref name="bih" /> It also removed the local krill supply. At least one Tai O producer responded by relocating early-stage production to Yangjiang and Taishan in Guangdong while retaining final processing in Tai O,<ref name="ihhk" /> prompting commentary on whether a paste made from non-local shrimp and processed largely off-site remains a Hong Kong product.<ref name="ttdhk" />

Cheaper factory-made paste from mainland China and Southeast Asia has displaced Tai O producers in their home market while keeping the condiment affordable and widely available. Reporting attributes the remaining decline chiefly to an absence of successors willing to enter the trade.<ref name="localiiz-ich" />

== Proposed final examination question ==

'''Question: Tai O shrimp paste has a pH of approximately 6.8–7.7, contains no preservative other than salt, and is never heat-processed, yet it remains shelf-stable at ambient temperature for years. Which option best explains this?'''

'''A.''' The paste is an acid food, so ''Clostridium botulinum'' cannot grow in it and no further preservation is needed.

'''B.''' Salting and sun-drying reduce water activity below the level most microorganisms require, substituting for the thermal process a low-acid food would normally need.

'''C.''' Fermentation generates enough lactic acid to render the paste commercially sterile, destroying the microorganisms present.

'''D.''' Sun-drying heats the paste sufficiently to inactivate vegetative cells and spores, achieving the same result as commercial sterilization.

Correct answer: B

Explanation: At pH 6.8–7.7 the paste is a low-acid food, above the pH 4.6 boundary, so option A misstates the pH. Salting and sun-drying lower water activity to roughly 0.63–0.74, below the level required by most spoilage organisms and vegetative pathogens, leaving only halophilic and halotolerant organisms able to grow. Options C and D share a single misconception: that the preservation step destroys the microbial population. It does not. Salting, drying and fermentation suppress microbial growth rather than eliminate it, and the surviving organisms remain metabolically active — which is why proteolysis continues throughout maturation and heat-stable biogenic amines such as histamine can accumulate in a product that is nonetheless shelf-stable.

This question should be included on the FNH 200 final exam because it requires students to transfer the water activity and pH 4.6 concepts to an unfamiliar food rather than recall a lecture example, and because all three distractors test the same widespread error of treating "preserved", "unspoiled" and "safe" as the same property. That distinction generalises well beyond this product, to salted fish, cured meats and fermented sauces.

== See also ==

* [[Course:FNH200/Projects/2022/Bagoong|Bagoong (FNH 200, 2022)]] — a Filipino fermented shrimp and fish product differing in raw material, salt ratio and maturation
* [https://www.slowfood.com/biodiversity-programs/ark-of-taste/ Slow Food Foundation — Ark of Taste]

== References ==

<references>
<ref name="zolima">Zolima CityMag. ''Hong Kong's Salty History: Rebellion, Smuggling and Shrimp Paste''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://zolimacitymag.com/hong-kongs-salty-history-rebellion-smuggling-and-shrimp-paste/</ref>
<ref name="localiiz-hist">Localiiz. ''A History of Hong Kong Shrimp Paste''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.localiiz.com/post/food-drink-history-shrimp-paste-hong-kong</ref>
<ref name="localiiz-ich">Localiiz. ''10 Intangible Cultural Heritages to See and Experience Before They Vanish from Hong Kong''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.localiiz.com/post/culture-history-hong-kong-intangible-cultural-heritage-traditions-to-see-before-they-vanish</ref>
<ref name="ihhk">The Industrial History of Hong Kong Group. ''Cheng Cheung Hing Shrimp Paste Factory, Tai O''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://industrialhistoryhk.org/cheng-cheung-hing-shrimp-paste-factory-tai/</ref>
<ref name="scmp">South China Morning Post (2014). ''Tai O Is Losing Its Taste for Century-Old Shrimp Paste Flavour''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1593980/tai-o-losing-its-taste-century-old-shrimp-paste-flavour</ref>
<ref name="sbs">SBS Food. ''A Taste of the Sea: Tai O's Famous Shrimp Paste''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/a-taste-of-the-sea-tai-os-famous-shrimp-paste/s831heim3</ref>
<ref name="kingcha">Kingcha, Y. et al. ''Microbial Diversity During Processing of Thai Traditional Fermented Shrimp Paste, Determined by Next Generation Sequencing''. LWT — Food Science and Technology. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0023643819313313</ref>
<ref name="goldthread">Goldthread. ''In Hong Kong's Tai O, Making Shrimp Paste by Hand Is a Dying Trade''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.goldthread2.com/food/hong-kong-tai-o-making-shrimp-paste-hand-dying-trade/article/3088577</ref>
<ref name="rahayu">Rahayu, E. S. et al. ''A Review: Amino Acids, Biogenic Amines, and Microbial Diversity in Traditional Asian Fermented Shrimp-Based Products''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/398707829</ref>
<ref name="sang2021">Sang, X. et al. (2021). ''Assessment of the Distribution and Safety of Tetragenococcus muriaticus for Potential Application in the Preparation of Chinese Grasshopper Sub Shrimp Paste''. Frontiers in Microbiology. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.628838/full</ref>
<ref name="pilapil">Pilapil, M. C. et al. (2016). ''Chemical Quality Assessment of Traditional Salt-Fermented Shrimp Paste from Northern Mindanao, Philippines''. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. Retrieved August 2026, from https://scijournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jsfa.7167</ref>
<ref name="kapi">''Characterization and In Vitro Biological Activities of Thai Traditional Fermented Shrimp Pastes''. Journal of Food Science and Technology. Retrieved August 2026, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4348324/</ref>
<ref name="sang2020">Sang, X. et al. (2020). ''The Impact of Microbial Diversity on Biogenic Amines Formation in Grasshopper Sub Shrimp Paste During the Fermentation''. Frontiers in Microbiology. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7193991/</ref>
<ref name="anggo">''The Role of Various Salt Concentrations on Total Microbial Count and Histamine in Shrimp Paste (Acetes sp.)''. Journal of Tropical Food and Agroindustrial Technology. Retrieved August 2026, from https://jtfat.umsida.ac.id/index.php/jtfat/article/view/1673</ref>
<ref name="iarc">International Agency for Research on Cancer. ''IARC Monographs Volume 100E: Chinese-Style Salted Fish''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK304384/</ref>
<ref name="hc">Health Canada. ''Food Allergen Labelling''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/food-labelling/allergen-labelling.html</ref>
<ref name="cfia">Canadian Food Inspection Agency. ''Regulation of Imported Fish and Seafood Products in Canada''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://inspection.canada.ca/en/food-safety-consumers/fact-sheets/specific-products-and-risks/fish-and-seafood/imported-fish-and-seafood</ref>
<ref name="afcd">Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong SAR. ''Conservation of Fisheries Resources''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/fish_cap/fish_cap_con/fish_cap_con.html</ref>
<ref name="bih">Biodiversity Information Hub, Hong Kong SAR. ''Ecology and Biodiversity of Benthic Marine Ecosystems''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://bih.gov.hk/en/feature-studies/index-id-8.html</ref>
<ref name="ttdhk">Things To Do In HK. ''Shrimp Paste Factories: The Fading Culinary Heritage of Shrimp Paste''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://thingstodoinhk.com/article/shrimp-paste-factories</ref>
</references>

Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/Tai O shrimp paste

2026-08-13T16:24:15Z

AnsonChan: added lee kum kee back label

'''Shrimp paste''' (Chinese: 蝦膏 / 蝦醬; Jyutping: ''haa1 gou1'' / ''haa1 zoeng3'') is a salt-fermented condiment used throughout [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantonese_cuisine Cantonese cuisine], produced from small planktonic shrimp of the genus ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetes Acetes]'' and salt alone. This article concerns the variety made in '''Tai O''', a stilt-house village on [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lantau_Island Lantau Island], Hong Kong, where production has fallen from roughly ten factories in the 1960s to approximately two today.

The product is of interest to food science because it is a low-acid, high-protein food that is shelf-stable at ambient temperature despite receiving no thermal process, no refrigeration and no added preservative. Its stability rests almost entirely on the reduction of water activity by salting and sun-drying.

[[File:Tai-o shrimp paste bamboo trays.png|500x500px]]

== History and cultural significance ==

Tai O developed as a fishing and salt-producing settlement, and shrimp paste emerged as a means for the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanka_people Tanka] boat-dwelling community to preserve a seasonal krill catch using locally produced sea salt.<ref name="zolima" />

The industry peaked in the mid-twentieth century. Around ten factories operated in Tai O in the 1960s, and the nearby settlement of Ma Wan produced tens of thousands of kilograms annually; Ma Wan's factories are now derelict, and press reporting indicates approximately two producers remain active in Tai O.<ref name="localiiz-hist" /><ref name="localiiz-ich" /> The oldest surviving business, Cheng Cheung Hing, was founded in 1920 and is in its third generation of family ownership.<ref name="ihhk" /> Shrimp-paste making was included in Hong Kong's first [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intangible_cultural_heritage intangible cultural heritage] inventory of 480 items, announced in June 2014.<ref name="scmp" />

The product reached Canada through migration. Tai O paste was exported to Chinatowns in London, San Francisco and Vancouver, with Taishanese immigrant communities in North America forming a significant market, particularly for steamed minced pork cakes seasoned with salted shrimp.<ref name="sbs" />

== Production ==

''Acetes'' krill are washed, mixed with coarse salt, ground to a paste, fermented in open vats for approximately one to two months, then spread thinly on bamboo trays and sun-dried, with the trays turned regularly before the paste is reground and packed.<ref name="kingcha" />

The drying stage follows standard dehydration principles. Spreading the paste thinly maximises the surface-area-to-volume ratio, while ambient temperature and air movement drive moisture removal and high humidity slows it. Because producers cannot control the weather, they compensate using the only variable available to them: one Tai O maker has described adding several extra pounds of salt when rain is forecast, then blending that batch with a fair-weather batch to even out the final flavour.<ref name="goldthread" /> The same producer reports that his family reduced the recipe's salt level in the late 1990s following public health reporting on sodium.<ref name="goldthread" />

Fermentation is spontaneous rather than inoculated. No starter culture is added, and the microbial population derives from the shrimp and the salt themselves. Sequencing studies of comparable Asian shrimp pastes identify the halophilic lactic acid bacterium ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetragenococcus Tetragenococcus]'' as a dominant genus, alongside other salt-tolerant taxa.<ref name="rahayu" /><ref name="sang2021" />

== Preservation science ==

=== Water activity as the controlling hurdle ===

Published analyses of comparable Southeast Asian shrimp pastes report [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_activity water activity] between 0.63 and 0.74, with salt at roughly 13–17 g per 100 g.<ref name="pilapil" /><ref name="kapi" /> Most bacteria require a water activity above approximately 0.90 and most moulds above approximately 0.80; only halophilic bacteria, xerophilic moulds and osmophilic yeasts grow below 0.75. Shrimp paste therefore sits below the threshold for the great majority of spoilage and pathogenic organisms while remaining hospitable to the halotolerant population that carries out the fermentation.

Two hurdles act in combination: salt binds free water osmotically, and sun-drying removes water directly. Neither destroys microorganisms. Salting and dehydration suppress microbial growth rather than eliminate it, so surviving organisms remain viable and can resume activity if the product is rehydrated or diluted.

=== A low-acid food without a thermal process ===

Shrimp paste has a pH of approximately 6.8–7.7.<ref name="pilapil" /> It is therefore a low-acid food, well above the pH 4.6 boundary that separates foods in which ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clostridium_botulinum Clostridium botulinum]'' cannot grow from those requiring a full sterilising process. Shelf-stable low-acid foods are normally made safe by thermal processing. Shrimp paste substitutes a single non-thermal hurdle for that entire process, which is why the salt concentration is not a matter of taste alone.

=== Flavour and colour development ===

Endogenous shrimp proteases and enzymes from halophilic bacteria hydrolyse muscle protein into peptides and free amino acids.<ref name="sang2021" /> Liberated [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glutamic_acid glutamate] produces the paste's umami intensity, and the accumulating free amino acids also supply reactants for non-enzymatic browning during the long, warm maturation, contributing to the characteristic purple-brown colour.

== Safety and nutritional considerations ==

'''Biogenic amines.''' The proteolysis that generates flavour also supplies substrate for bacterial decarboxylases, producing [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biogenic_amine biogenic amines] including histamine, cadaverine and putrescine. Studies of Chinese shrimp pastes have found levels not consistently within recommended limits, against a suggested reference threshold of 50 mg/kg for histamine in fish.<ref name="sang2020" /> Biogenic amines are heat-stable, so cooking does not remove them. The evidence is not uniform: a study of ''Acetes'' paste fermented at 5–15% salt for 30 days detected no histamine and very low total plate counts, indicating that adequate salt and sufficient fermentation time can control amine formation effectively.<ref name="anggo" />

'''Sodium.''' At 13–17% salt the product is high in sodium. Low-salt reformulation is an active research area, complicated by the fact that reducing salt alters the microbial community on which the preservation system depends.<ref name="rahayu" />

'''Additives.''' Traditional Tai O paste contains no substance added for preservation, colour or texture, and so falls outside the regulatory definition of a food containing additives. Its stability is a consequence of processing alone.

'''Comparison with salted fish.''' A related product of the same villages shows that traditional salt preservation is not uniformly benign. Chinese-style salted fish is classified by the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Agency_for_Research_on_Cancer IARC] as a Group 1 carcinogen on the basis of its association with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, with N-nitroso compounds as the proposed mechanism.<ref name="iarc" /> This classification applies to salted fish and has not been extended to shrimp paste.

== Regulation of imported shrimp paste in Canada ==

Canadian oversight is divided between two statutes. Composition and labelling standards fall under the ''[https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/f-27/ Food and Drugs Act]'' and its regulations, administered by Health Canada. Crustaceans are a priority allergen and must be declared either by common name in the list of ingredients or in a "Contains" statement immediately following it.<ref name="hc" /> Because ''Acetes'' krill are the sole protein source, this declaration cannot be omitted.

Enforcement and import control fall under the ''[https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/S-1.1/ Safe Food for Canadians Act]'' and its regulations, administered by the [https://inspection.canada.ca/ Canadian Food Inspection Agency]. Importers of fish and seafood require a Safe Food for Canadians licence, a written preventive control plan and traceability records, and CFIA seafood surveillance samples for chemical residues, microbiological contamination, allergens and additives.<ref name="cfia" />

[[File:Lee Kum Kee Canada Shrimp Paste Back Label.png|400x400px]]

== Decline and competing pressures ==

Hong Kong prohibited trawling, including shrimp trawling, in its waters under the ''Fisheries Protection Ordinance'' (Cap. 171) with effect from 31 December 2012, across approximately 1,700 km² of territorial waters.<ref name="afcd" />

The measure has documented ecological benefits: post-ban surveys recorded large increases in predatory crab densities in both eastern and western Hong Kong waters.<ref name="bih" /> It also removed the local krill supply. At least one Tai O producer responded by relocating early-stage production to Yangjiang and Taishan in Guangdong while retaining final processing in Tai O,<ref name="ihhk" /> prompting commentary on whether a paste made from non-local shrimp and processed largely off-site remains a Hong Kong product.<ref name="ttdhk" />

Cheaper factory-made paste from mainland China and Southeast Asia has displaced Tai O producers in their home market while keeping the condiment affordable and widely available. Reporting attributes the remaining decline chiefly to an absence of successors willing to enter the trade.<ref name="localiiz-ich" />

== Proposed final examination question ==

'''Question: Tai O shrimp paste has a pH of approximately 6.8–7.7, contains no preservative other than salt, and is never heat-processed, yet it remains shelf-stable at ambient temperature for years. Which option best explains this?'''

'''A.''' The paste is an acid food, so ''Clostridium botulinum'' cannot grow in it and no further preservation is needed.

'''B.''' Salting and sun-drying reduce water activity below the level most microorganisms require, substituting for the thermal process a low-acid food would normally need.

'''C.''' Fermentation generates enough lactic acid to render the paste commercially sterile, destroying the microorganisms present.

'''D.''' Sun-drying heats the paste sufficiently to inactivate vegetative cells and spores, achieving the same result as commercial sterilization.

Correct answer: B

Explanation: At pH 6.8–7.7 the paste is a low-acid food, above the pH 4.6 boundary, so option A misstates the pH. Salting and sun-drying lower water activity to roughly 0.63–0.74, below the level required by most spoilage organisms and vegetative pathogens, leaving only halophilic and halotolerant organisms able to grow. Options C and D share a single misconception: that the preservation step destroys the microbial population. It does not. Salting, drying and fermentation suppress microbial growth rather than eliminate it, and the surviving organisms remain metabolically active — which is why proteolysis continues throughout maturation and heat-stable biogenic amines such as histamine can accumulate in a product that is nonetheless shelf-stable.

This question should be included on the FNH 200 final exam because it requires students to transfer the water activity and pH 4.6 concepts to an unfamiliar food rather than recall a lecture example, and because all three distractors test the same widespread error of treating "preserved", "unspoiled" and "safe" as the same property. That distinction generalises well beyond this product, to salted fish, cured meats and fermented sauces.

== See also ==

* [[Course:FNH200/Projects/2022/Bagoong|Bagoong (FNH 200, 2022)]] — a Filipino fermented shrimp and fish product differing in raw material, salt ratio and maturation
* [https://www.slowfood.com/biodiversity-programs/ark-of-taste/ Slow Food Foundation — Ark of Taste]

== References ==

<references>
<ref name="zolima">Zolima CityMag. ''Hong Kong's Salty History: Rebellion, Smuggling and Shrimp Paste''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://zolimacitymag.com/hong-kongs-salty-history-rebellion-smuggling-and-shrimp-paste/</ref>
<ref name="localiiz-hist">Localiiz. ''A History of Hong Kong Shrimp Paste''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.localiiz.com/post/food-drink-history-shrimp-paste-hong-kong</ref>
<ref name="localiiz-ich">Localiiz. ''10 Intangible Cultural Heritages to See and Experience Before They Vanish from Hong Kong''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.localiiz.com/post/culture-history-hong-kong-intangible-cultural-heritage-traditions-to-see-before-they-vanish</ref>
<ref name="ihhk">The Industrial History of Hong Kong Group. ''Cheng Cheung Hing Shrimp Paste Factory, Tai O''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://industrialhistoryhk.org/cheng-cheung-hing-shrimp-paste-factory-tai/</ref>
<ref name="scmp">South China Morning Post (2014). ''Tai O Is Losing Its Taste for Century-Old Shrimp Paste Flavour''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1593980/tai-o-losing-its-taste-century-old-shrimp-paste-flavour</ref>
<ref name="sbs">SBS Food. ''A Taste of the Sea: Tai O's Famous Shrimp Paste''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/a-taste-of-the-sea-tai-os-famous-shrimp-paste/s831heim3</ref>
<ref name="kingcha">Kingcha, Y. et al. ''Microbial Diversity During Processing of Thai Traditional Fermented Shrimp Paste, Determined by Next Generation Sequencing''. LWT — Food Science and Technology. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0023643819313313</ref>
<ref name="goldthread">Goldthread. ''In Hong Kong's Tai O, Making Shrimp Paste by Hand Is a Dying Trade''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.goldthread2.com/food/hong-kong-tai-o-making-shrimp-paste-hand-dying-trade/article/3088577</ref>
<ref name="rahayu">Rahayu, E. S. et al. ''A Review: Amino Acids, Biogenic Amines, and Microbial Diversity in Traditional Asian Fermented Shrimp-Based Products''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/398707829</ref>
<ref name="sang2021">Sang, X. et al. (2021). ''Assessment of the Distribution and Safety of Tetragenococcus muriaticus for Potential Application in the Preparation of Chinese Grasshopper Sub Shrimp Paste''. Frontiers in Microbiology. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.628838/full</ref>
<ref name="pilapil">Pilapil, M. C. et al. (2016). ''Chemical Quality Assessment of Traditional Salt-Fermented Shrimp Paste from Northern Mindanao, Philippines''. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. Retrieved August 2026, from https://scijournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jsfa.7167</ref>
<ref name="kapi">''Characterization and In Vitro Biological Activities of Thai Traditional Fermented Shrimp Pastes''. Journal of Food Science and Technology. Retrieved August 2026, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4348324/</ref>
<ref name="sang2020">Sang, X. et al. (2020). ''The Impact of Microbial Diversity on Biogenic Amines Formation in Grasshopper Sub Shrimp Paste During the Fermentation''. Frontiers in Microbiology. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7193991/</ref>
<ref name="anggo">''The Role of Various Salt Concentrations on Total Microbial Count and Histamine in Shrimp Paste (Acetes sp.)''. Journal of Tropical Food and Agroindustrial Technology. Retrieved August 2026, from https://jtfat.umsida.ac.id/index.php/jtfat/article/view/1673</ref>
<ref name="iarc">International Agency for Research on Cancer. ''IARC Monographs Volume 100E: Chinese-Style Salted Fish''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK304384/</ref>
<ref name="hc">Health Canada. ''Food Allergen Labelling''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/food-labelling/allergen-labelling.html</ref>
<ref name="cfia">Canadian Food Inspection Agency. ''Regulation of Imported Fish and Seafood Products in Canada''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://inspection.canada.ca/en/food-safety-consumers/fact-sheets/specific-products-and-risks/fish-and-seafood/imported-fish-and-seafood</ref>
<ref name="afcd">Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong SAR. ''Conservation of Fisheries Resources''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/fish_cap/fish_cap_con/fish_cap_con.html</ref>
<ref name="bih">Biodiversity Information Hub, Hong Kong SAR. ''Ecology and Biodiversity of Benthic Marine Ecosystems''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://bih.gov.hk/en/feature-studies/index-id-8.html</ref>
<ref name="ttdhk">Things To Do In HK. ''Shrimp Paste Factories: The Fading Culinary Heritage of Shrimp Paste''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://thingstodoinhk.com/article/shrimp-paste-factories</ref>
</references>

File:Lee Kum Kee Canada Shrimp Paste Back Label.png

2026-08-13T16:21:35Z

AnsonChan: Uploaded a work by {{Unknown|author}} from https://www.walmart.com/ip/Lee-Kum-Kee-Fine-Shrimp-Sauce-8-Ounce-Ja-Roasted/198988594 with UploadWizard

=={{int:filedesc}}==
{{Information
|description={{en|1=The back nutritional label for Lee Kum Kee Canada Shrimp Paste Back Label}}
|date=2026-08-13
|source=https://www.walmart.com/ip/Lee-Kum-Kee-Fine-Shrimp-Sauce-8-Ounce-Ja-Roasted/198988594
|author={{Unknown|author}}
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Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/Tai O shrimp paste

2026-08-13T16:09:18Z

AnsonChan: add bambo tray img

'''Shrimp paste''' (Chinese: 蝦膏 / 蝦醬; Jyutping: ''haa1 gou1'' / ''haa1 zoeng3'') is a salt-fermented condiment used throughout [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantonese_cuisine Cantonese cuisine], produced from small planktonic shrimp of the genus ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetes Acetes]'' and salt alone. This article concerns the variety made in '''Tai O''', a stilt-house village on [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lantau_Island Lantau Island], Hong Kong, where production has fallen from roughly ten factories in the 1960s to approximately two today.

The product is of interest to food science because it is a low-acid, high-protein food that is shelf-stable at ambient temperature despite receiving no thermal process, no refrigeration and no added preservative. Its stability rests almost entirely on the reduction of water activity by salting and sun-drying.

[[File:Tai-o shrimp paste bamboo trays.png|500x500px]]

== History and cultural significance ==

Tai O developed as a fishing and salt-producing settlement, and shrimp paste emerged as a means for the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanka_people Tanka] boat-dwelling community to preserve a seasonal krill catch using locally produced sea salt.<ref name="zolima" />

The industry peaked in the mid-twentieth century. Around ten factories operated in Tai O in the 1960s, and the nearby settlement of Ma Wan produced tens of thousands of kilograms annually; Ma Wan's factories are now derelict, and press reporting indicates approximately two producers remain active in Tai O.<ref name="localiiz-hist" /><ref name="localiiz-ich" /> The oldest surviving business, Cheng Cheung Hing, was founded in 1920 and is in its third generation of family ownership.<ref name="ihhk" /> Shrimp-paste making was included in Hong Kong's first [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intangible_cultural_heritage intangible cultural heritage] inventory of 480 items, announced in June 2014.<ref name="scmp" />

The product reached Canada through migration. Tai O paste was exported to Chinatowns in London, San Francisco and Vancouver, with Taishanese immigrant communities in North America forming a significant market, particularly for steamed minced pork cakes seasoned with salted shrimp.<ref name="sbs" />

== Production ==

''Acetes'' krill are washed, mixed with coarse salt, ground to a paste, fermented in open vats for approximately one to two months, then spread thinly on bamboo trays and sun-dried, with the trays turned regularly before the paste is reground and packed.<ref name="kingcha" />

The drying stage follows standard dehydration principles. Spreading the paste thinly maximises the surface-area-to-volume ratio, while ambient temperature and air movement drive moisture removal and high humidity slows it. Because producers cannot control the weather, they compensate using the only variable available to them: one Tai O maker has described adding several extra pounds of salt when rain is forecast, then blending that batch with a fair-weather batch to even out the final flavour.<ref name="goldthread" /> The same producer reports that his family reduced the recipe's salt level in the late 1990s following public health reporting on sodium.<ref name="goldthread" />

Fermentation is spontaneous rather than inoculated. No starter culture is added, and the microbial population derives from the shrimp and the salt themselves. Sequencing studies of comparable Asian shrimp pastes identify the halophilic lactic acid bacterium ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetragenococcus Tetragenococcus]'' as a dominant genus, alongside other salt-tolerant taxa.<ref name="rahayu" /><ref name="sang2021" />

== Preservation science ==

=== Water activity as the controlling hurdle ===

Published analyses of comparable Southeast Asian shrimp pastes report [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_activity water activity] between 0.63 and 0.74, with salt at roughly 13–17 g per 100 g.<ref name="pilapil" /><ref name="kapi" /> Most bacteria require a water activity above approximately 0.90 and most moulds above approximately 0.80; only halophilic bacteria, xerophilic moulds and osmophilic yeasts grow below 0.75. Shrimp paste therefore sits below the threshold for the great majority of spoilage and pathogenic organisms while remaining hospitable to the halotolerant population that carries out the fermentation.

Two hurdles act in combination: salt binds free water osmotically, and sun-drying removes water directly. Neither destroys microorganisms. Salting and dehydration suppress microbial growth rather than eliminate it, so surviving organisms remain viable and can resume activity if the product is rehydrated or diluted.

=== A low-acid food without a thermal process ===

Shrimp paste has a pH of approximately 6.8–7.7.<ref name="pilapil" /> It is therefore a low-acid food, well above the pH 4.6 boundary that separates foods in which ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clostridium_botulinum Clostridium botulinum]'' cannot grow from those requiring a full sterilising process. Shelf-stable low-acid foods are normally made safe by thermal processing. Shrimp paste substitutes a single non-thermal hurdle for that entire process, which is why the salt concentration is not a matter of taste alone.

=== Flavour and colour development ===

Endogenous shrimp proteases and enzymes from halophilic bacteria hydrolyse muscle protein into peptides and free amino acids.<ref name="sang2021" /> Liberated [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glutamic_acid glutamate] produces the paste's umami intensity, and the accumulating free amino acids also supply reactants for non-enzymatic browning during the long, warm maturation, contributing to the characteristic purple-brown colour.

== Safety and nutritional considerations ==

'''Biogenic amines.''' The proteolysis that generates flavour also supplies substrate for bacterial decarboxylases, producing [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biogenic_amine biogenic amines] including histamine, cadaverine and putrescine. Studies of Chinese shrimp pastes have found levels not consistently within recommended limits, against a suggested reference threshold of 50 mg/kg for histamine in fish.<ref name="sang2020" /> Biogenic amines are heat-stable, so cooking does not remove them. The evidence is not uniform: a study of ''Acetes'' paste fermented at 5–15% salt for 30 days detected no histamine and very low total plate counts, indicating that adequate salt and sufficient fermentation time can control amine formation effectively.<ref name="anggo" />

'''Sodium.''' At 13–17% salt the product is high in sodium. Low-salt reformulation is an active research area, complicated by the fact that reducing salt alters the microbial community on which the preservation system depends.<ref name="rahayu" />

'''Additives.''' Traditional Tai O paste contains no substance added for preservation, colour or texture, and so falls outside the regulatory definition of a food containing additives. Its stability is a consequence of processing alone.

'''Comparison with salted fish.''' A related product of the same villages shows that traditional salt preservation is not uniformly benign. Chinese-style salted fish is classified by the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Agency_for_Research_on_Cancer IARC] as a Group 1 carcinogen on the basis of its association with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, with N-nitroso compounds as the proposed mechanism.<ref name="iarc" /> This classification applies to salted fish and has not been extended to shrimp paste.

== Regulation of imported shrimp paste in Canada ==

Canadian oversight is divided between two statutes. Composition and labelling standards fall under the ''[https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/f-27/ Food and Drugs Act]'' and its regulations, administered by Health Canada. Crustaceans are a priority allergen and must be declared either by common name in the list of ingredients or in a "Contains" statement immediately following it.<ref name="hc" /> Because ''Acetes'' krill are the sole protein source, this declaration cannot be omitted.

Enforcement and import control fall under the ''[https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/S-1.1/ Safe Food for Canadians Act]'' and its regulations, administered by the [https://inspection.canada.ca/ Canadian Food Inspection Agency]. Importers of fish and seafood require a Safe Food for Canadians licence, a written preventive control plan and traceability records, and CFIA seafood surveillance samples for chemical residues, microbiological contamination, allergens and additives.<ref name="cfia" />

[[IMAGE: Canadian retail label photographed by team member]]

== Decline and competing pressures ==

Hong Kong prohibited trawling, including shrimp trawling, in its waters under the ''Fisheries Protection Ordinance'' (Cap. 171) with effect from 31 December 2012, across approximately 1,700 km² of territorial waters.<ref name="afcd" />

The measure has documented ecological benefits: post-ban surveys recorded large increases in predatory crab densities in both eastern and western Hong Kong waters.<ref name="bih" /> It also removed the local krill supply. At least one Tai O producer responded by relocating early-stage production to Yangjiang and Taishan in Guangdong while retaining final processing in Tai O,<ref name="ihhk" /> prompting commentary on whether a paste made from non-local shrimp and processed largely off-site remains a Hong Kong product.<ref name="ttdhk" />

Cheaper factory-made paste from mainland China and Southeast Asia has displaced Tai O producers in their home market while keeping the condiment affordable and widely available. Reporting attributes the remaining decline chiefly to an absence of successors willing to enter the trade.<ref name="localiiz-ich" />

== Proposed final examination question ==

'''Question: Tai O shrimp paste has a pH of approximately 6.8–7.7, contains no preservative other than salt, and is never heat-processed, yet it remains shelf-stable at ambient temperature for years. Which option best explains this?'''

'''A.''' The paste is an acid food, so ''Clostridium botulinum'' cannot grow in it and no further preservation is needed.

'''B.''' Salting and sun-drying reduce water activity below the level most microorganisms require, substituting for the thermal process a low-acid food would normally need.

'''C.''' Fermentation generates enough lactic acid to render the paste commercially sterile, destroying the microorganisms present.

'''D.''' Sun-drying heats the paste sufficiently to inactivate vegetative cells and spores, achieving the same result as commercial sterilization.

Correct answer: B

Explanation: At pH 6.8–7.7 the paste is a low-acid food, above the pH 4.6 boundary, so option A misstates the pH. Salting and sun-drying lower water activity to roughly 0.63–0.74, below the level required by most spoilage organisms and vegetative pathogens, leaving only halophilic and halotolerant organisms able to grow. Options C and D share a single misconception: that the preservation step destroys the microbial population. It does not. Salting, drying and fermentation suppress microbial growth rather than eliminate it, and the surviving organisms remain metabolically active — which is why proteolysis continues throughout maturation and heat-stable biogenic amines such as histamine can accumulate in a product that is nonetheless shelf-stable.

This question should be included on the FNH 200 final exam because it requires students to transfer the water activity and pH 4.6 concepts to an unfamiliar food rather than recall a lecture example, and because all three distractors test the same widespread error of treating "preserved", "unspoiled" and "safe" as the same property. That distinction generalises well beyond this product, to salted fish, cured meats and fermented sauces.

== See also ==

* [[Course:FNH200/Projects/2022/Bagoong|Bagoong (FNH 200, 2022)]] — a Filipino fermented shrimp and fish product differing in raw material, salt ratio and maturation
* [https://www.slowfood.com/biodiversity-programs/ark-of-taste/ Slow Food Foundation — Ark of Taste]

== References ==

<references>
<ref name="zolima">Zolima CityMag. ''Hong Kong's Salty History: Rebellion, Smuggling and Shrimp Paste''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://zolimacitymag.com/hong-kongs-salty-history-rebellion-smuggling-and-shrimp-paste/</ref>
<ref name="localiiz-hist">Localiiz. ''A History of Hong Kong Shrimp Paste''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.localiiz.com/post/food-drink-history-shrimp-paste-hong-kong</ref>
<ref name="localiiz-ich">Localiiz. ''10 Intangible Cultural Heritages to See and Experience Before They Vanish from Hong Kong''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.localiiz.com/post/culture-history-hong-kong-intangible-cultural-heritage-traditions-to-see-before-they-vanish</ref>
<ref name="ihhk">The Industrial History of Hong Kong Group. ''Cheng Cheung Hing Shrimp Paste Factory, Tai O''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://industrialhistoryhk.org/cheng-cheung-hing-shrimp-paste-factory-tai/</ref>
<ref name="scmp">South China Morning Post (2014). ''Tai O Is Losing Its Taste for Century-Old Shrimp Paste Flavour''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1593980/tai-o-losing-its-taste-century-old-shrimp-paste-flavour</ref>
<ref name="sbs">SBS Food. ''A Taste of the Sea: Tai O's Famous Shrimp Paste''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/a-taste-of-the-sea-tai-os-famous-shrimp-paste/s831heim3</ref>
<ref name="kingcha">Kingcha, Y. et al. ''Microbial Diversity During Processing of Thai Traditional Fermented Shrimp Paste, Determined by Next Generation Sequencing''. LWT — Food Science and Technology. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0023643819313313</ref>
<ref name="goldthread">Goldthread. ''In Hong Kong's Tai O, Making Shrimp Paste by Hand Is a Dying Trade''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.goldthread2.com/food/hong-kong-tai-o-making-shrimp-paste-hand-dying-trade/article/3088577</ref>
<ref name="rahayu">Rahayu, E. S. et al. ''A Review: Amino Acids, Biogenic Amines, and Microbial Diversity in Traditional Asian Fermented Shrimp-Based Products''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/398707829</ref>
<ref name="sang2021">Sang, X. et al. (2021). ''Assessment of the Distribution and Safety of Tetragenococcus muriaticus for Potential Application in the Preparation of Chinese Grasshopper Sub Shrimp Paste''. Frontiers in Microbiology. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.628838/full</ref>
<ref name="pilapil">Pilapil, M. C. et al. (2016). ''Chemical Quality Assessment of Traditional Salt-Fermented Shrimp Paste from Northern Mindanao, Philippines''. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. Retrieved August 2026, from https://scijournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jsfa.7167</ref>
<ref name="kapi">''Characterization and In Vitro Biological Activities of Thai Traditional Fermented Shrimp Pastes''. Journal of Food Science and Technology. Retrieved August 2026, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4348324/</ref>
<ref name="sang2020">Sang, X. et al. (2020). ''The Impact of Microbial Diversity on Biogenic Amines Formation in Grasshopper Sub Shrimp Paste During the Fermentation''. Frontiers in Microbiology. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7193991/</ref>
<ref name="anggo">''The Role of Various Salt Concentrations on Total Microbial Count and Histamine in Shrimp Paste (Acetes sp.)''. Journal of Tropical Food and Agroindustrial Technology. Retrieved August 2026, from https://jtfat.umsida.ac.id/index.php/jtfat/article/view/1673</ref>
<ref name="iarc">International Agency for Research on Cancer. ''IARC Monographs Volume 100E: Chinese-Style Salted Fish''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK304384/</ref>
<ref name="hc">Health Canada. ''Food Allergen Labelling''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/food-labelling/allergen-labelling.html</ref>
<ref name="cfia">Canadian Food Inspection Agency. ''Regulation of Imported Fish and Seafood Products in Canada''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://inspection.canada.ca/en/food-safety-consumers/fact-sheets/specific-products-and-risks/fish-and-seafood/imported-fish-and-seafood</ref>
<ref name="afcd">Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong SAR. ''Conservation of Fisheries Resources''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/fish_cap/fish_cap_con/fish_cap_con.html</ref>
<ref name="bih">Biodiversity Information Hub, Hong Kong SAR. ''Ecology and Biodiversity of Benthic Marine Ecosystems''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://bih.gov.hk/en/feature-studies/index-id-8.html</ref>
<ref name="ttdhk">Things To Do In HK. ''Shrimp Paste Factories: The Fading Culinary Heritage of Shrimp Paste''. Retrieved August 2026, from https://thingstodoinhk.com/article/shrimp-paste-factories</ref>
</references>

File:Tai-o shrimp paste bamboo trays.png

2026-08-13T16:07:12Z

AnsonChan: Uploaded a work by Nicolas Petit from https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/a-taste-of-the-sea-tai-os-famous-shrimp-paste/s831heim3 with UploadWizard

=={{int:filedesc}}==
{{Information
|description={{en|1=A picture of tai-o shrimp paste bamboo trays.}}
|date=2026-08-13
|source=https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/a-taste-of-the-sea-tai-os-famous-shrimp-paste/s831heim3
|author=Nicolas Petit
|permission=
|other versions=
}}

=={{int:license-header}}==
{{cc-by-4.0}}

Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/Tai O shrimp paste

2026-08-10T03:34:26Z

AnsonChan: wc changes

'''Project option:''' Option B2

'''Food selected:''' Tai O shrimp paste made from Tai O village, Lantau Island, Hong Kong

== Why this food ==
Tai O shrimp paste is a salt-fermented condiment made from only two ingredients — small krill (''Acetes'' spp.) and salt — sun-matured on bamboo trays.

* '''Endangered -''' While shrimp paste itself remains widely consumed across Asia, the production of traditional Tai O shrimp-paste has sharply declined. Tai O supported roughly ten shrimp paste factories run by local Tanka families in the 1960s; fewer than a handful remain today, and Tai O is now one of the last places in Hong Kong where the paste is still produced. A neighbouring production centre on Ma Wan, which once produced tens of thousands of kilograms annually, has no operating factories left.
* '''Culturally and historically significant -''' The paste is a foundation flavour of Cantonese home cooking and is tied to the Tanka boat-dwelling community and to Tai O's older salt-production and fishing economy.
* '''Not previously covered -''' We checked the [http://wiki.ubc.ca/Course:FNH200/TeamProjectsShowcase Team Projects Showcase] (2011–2025). No past team has written on Chinese or Hong Kong shrimp paste. The closest entry is Bagoong (2022), a Filipino fermented shrimp/fish product; we will cite that page and state explicitly how the Cantonese product differs in raw material, salt ratio, maturation time and end use, rather than duplicating it.
* '''Local relevance -''' Tai O paste was historically exported to Chinatowns in London, San Francisco and '''Vancouver''', with Taishanese immigrant communities in Canada and the US forming a significant export market. Jarred shrimp paste is still stocked in Vancouver-area Chinese grocers, so we can photograph and analyse a real Canadian retail label as primary material.

== Scope ==
We will write a general short context section and then dive into two subtopics.

=== Subtopic 1: Preservation and fermentation science (approx. 400 words) ===

* Raw material: ''Acetes'' krill; seasonality and species variation, and how these affect the finished paste
* Salt as the sole preservative — reduction of water activity, osmotic dehydration of microbial cells, and selection for halotolerant organisms
* Autolytic and microbial proteolysis during maturation → free amino acids → glutamate and the umami profile
* Sun-drying on bamboo trays, daily turning, and a maturation period of roughly 30–45 days; colour and aroma development
* Producer-level process control as an applied example: makers reportedly add extra salt to a batch when rain is forecast and later blend it with a fair-weather batch to even out flavour — a practical illustration of water-activity management without instrumentation
* Reformulation over time: producers have reduced salt levels relative to earlier generations in response to consumer health concerns
* '''Course connections:''' water activity and the microbial growth curve, the hurdle concept, fermentation, and dehydration

=== Subtopic 2: Safety, labelling and regulation — Hong Kong vs Canada (approx. 400 words) ===

* Sodium content and how it sits against Health Canada sodium reduction targets
* Biogenic amines (particularly histamine) in salt-fermented seafood: formation pathway, heat stability, and why preservation does not equal safety
* Microbiological and contaminant considerations in open-air processing
* '''Crustacean allergen declaration''' under the Canadian ''Food and Drug Regulations'' — what an imported jar must legally carry to be sold in BC, compared against a label we photograph in a Vancouver grocer
* Import oversight: CFIA requirements for imported fish and seafood products vs Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety guidance
* '''Contrast case:''' Cantonese salted fish (鹹魚), produced by some of the same Tai O businesses, is classified by IARC as a Group 1 carcinogen on the basis of its association with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, with N-nitroso compounds as the proposed mechanism. We will use this as a short comparison to show that traditional salt-preservation methods are not uniformly benign — not as the focus of the page.
* '''Course connections:''' food law and regulation, additives and labelling, chemical hazards

=== Context section (approx. 200 words) ===

* Tai O's fishing and salt economy and the Tanka community
* Decline of the industry, with attention to a specific documented driver: Hong Kong's 2013 trawling ban cut off local krill supply, and at least one producer responded by relocating production to Yangjiang and Taishan in Guangdong while retaining only final processing in Tai O

== Balance ==
We will treat this as a genuinely two-sided subject rather than a heritage-preservation argument. Points we intend to present in proportion:

* Marine conservation policy (the trawling ban) protects Hong Kong's fisheries and severed the supply chain of a heritage food industry
* Traditional open-air sun fermentation produces a distinctive product and offers fewer microbiological controls than industrial processing
* Imported factory-made paste from Thailand and mainland China is displacing Tai O producers and keeps the product affordable and widely available
* The product is culturally valuable and is high in sodium

== Potential resources ==
'''Regulatory and scientific (primary):'''

* Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety — food safety focus articles on preserved foods and Group 1 carcinogens: https://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/multimedia/multimedia_pub/multimedia_pub_fsf_115_02.html
* IARC Monographs, Volume 100E — Chinese-style salted fish: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK304384/
* IARC Monographs, Volume 56 — Salted Fish summary and evaluation: https://www.inchem.org/documents/iarc/vol56/01-fish.html
* Canadian Food Inspection Agency — import requirements and labelling for fish and seafood products
* Health Canada — priority food allergens and sodium reduction targets
* Peer-reviewed literature on shrimp paste fermentation microbiology and biogenic amine formation (search terms: ''Acetes'', shrimp paste, biogenic amines, halotolerant, proteolysis)

'''Historical and cultural:'''

* Slow Food Foundation — Ark of Taste: https://www.slowfood.com/biodiversity-programs/ark-of-taste/
* The Industrial History of Hong Kong Group — Cheng Cheung Hing Shrimp Paste Factory, Tai O: https://industrialhistoryhk.org/cheng-cheung-hing-shrimp-paste-factory-tai/
* The Industrial History of Hong Kong Group — Sing Lee Shrimp Sauce and Paste Factory, Tai O: https://industrialhistoryhk.org/sing-lee-shrimp-sauce-paste-factory-tai/
* Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage inventory

'''Journalism AKA Reporting:'''

* Goldthread — on hand-made shrimp paste as a dying trade: https://www.goldthread2.com/food/hong-kong-tai-o-making-shrimp-paste-hand-dying-trade/article/3088577
* Localiiz — history of Hong Kong shrimp paste: https://www.localiiz.com/post/food-drink-history-shrimp-paste-hong-kong
* SBS Food — profile of a Tai O producer: https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/a-taste-of-the-sea-tai-os-famous-shrimp-paste/s831heim3

We will distinguish clearly in the text between claims supported by regulatory or peer-reviewed sources and claims drawn from journalistic profiles of individual producers.

== Questions ==

# Is the Cantonese salted fish comparison an appropriate inclusion, or would you prefer we keep the page entirely on shrimp paste?
# For the Canadian labelling analysis, is a photographed retail label acceptable as a cited source, and how would you like it attributed?
# Given that Bagoong was covered in 2022, is our differentiation approach sufficient, or would you rather we avoid the overlap altogether?

== question for exam outline ==
We plan to build the question around the distinction between preservation and safety: a product can be shelf-stable for years through water-activity reduction while still accumulating a hazard that this mechanism does not control.

A reason we would like this question to be included is that we typically associate successful food preservation with preventing spoilage. However, a food can remain edible and shelf-stable while still allowing processes that create food-safety concerns. This question tests whether students understand the important distinction between food preservation, spoilage, and safety, rather than treating them as the same concept.

Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/Tai O shrimp paste

2026-08-10T03:29:07Z

AnsonChan: minor changes

'''Project option:''' Option B2

'''Food selected:''' Tai O shrimp paste made from Tai O village, Lantau Island, Hong Kong

== Why this food ==
Tai O shrimp paste is a salt-fermented condiment made from only two ingredients — small krill (''Acetes'' spp.) and salt — sun-matured on bamboo trays.

* '''Endangered -''' While shrimp paste itself remains widely consumed across Asia, the production of traditional Tai O shrimp-paste has sharply declined. Tai O supported roughly ten shrimp paste factories run by local Tanka families in the 1960s; fewer than a handful remain today, and Tai O is now one of the last places in Hong Kong where the paste is still produced. A neighbouring production centre on Ma Wan, which once produced tens of thousands of kilograms annually, has no operating factories left.
* '''Culturally and historically significant -''' The paste is a foundation flavour of Cantonese home cooking and is tied to the Tanka boat-dwelling community and to Tai O's older salt-production and fishing economy.
* '''Not previously covered -''' We checked the [http://wiki.ubc.ca/Course:FNH200/TeamProjectsShowcase Team Projects Showcase] (2011–2025). No past team has written on Chinese or Hong Kong shrimp paste. The closest entry is Bagoong (2022), a Filipino fermented shrimp/fish product; we will cite that page and state explicitly how the Cantonese product differs in raw material, salt ratio, maturation time and end use, rather than duplicating it.
* '''Local relevance -''' Tai O paste was historically exported to Chinatowns in London, San Francisco and '''Vancouver''', with Taishanese immigrant communities in Canada and the US forming a significant export market. Jarred shrimp paste is still stocked in Vancouver-area Chinese grocers, so we can photograph and analyse a real Canadian retail label as primary material.

== Scope ==
We will write a general short context section and then dive into two subtopics.

=== Subtopic 1: Preservation and fermentation science (target ~450 words) ===

* Raw material: ''Acetes'' krill; seasonality and species variation, and how these affect the finished paste
* Salt as the sole preservative — reduction of water activity, osmotic dehydration of microbial cells, and selection for halotolerant organisms
* Autolytic and microbial proteolysis during maturation → free amino acids → glutamate and the umami profile
* Sun-drying on bamboo trays, daily turning, and a maturation period of roughly 30–45 days; colour and aroma development
* Producer-level process control as an applied example: makers reportedly add extra salt to a batch when rain is forecast and later blend it with a fair-weather batch to even out flavour — a practical illustration of water-activity management without instrumentation
* Reformulation over time: producers have reduced salt levels relative to earlier generations in response to consumer health concerns
* '''Course connections:''' water activity and the microbial growth curve, the hurdle concept, fermentation, and dehydration

=== Subtopic 2: Safety, labelling and regulation — Hong Kong vs Canada (target ~450 words) ===

* Sodium content and how it sits against Health Canada sodium reduction targets
* Biogenic amines (particularly histamine) in salt-fermented seafood: formation pathway, heat stability, and why preservation does not equal safety
* Microbiological and contaminant considerations in open-air processing
* '''Crustacean allergen declaration''' under the Canadian ''Food and Drug Regulations'' — what an imported jar must legally carry to be sold in BC, compared against a label we photograph in a Vancouver grocer
* Import oversight: CFIA requirements for imported fish and seafood products vs Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety guidance
* '''Contrast case:''' Cantonese salted fish (鹹魚), produced by some of the same Tai O businesses, is classified by IARC as a Group 1 carcinogen on the basis of its association with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, with N-nitroso compounds as the proposed mechanism. We will use this as a short comparison to show that traditional salt-preservation methods are not uniformly benign — not as the focus of the page.
* '''Course connections:''' food law and regulation, additives and labelling, chemical hazards

=== Context section (target ~200 words) ===

* Tai O's fishing and salt economy and the Tanka community
* Decline of the industry, with attention to a specific documented driver: Hong Kong's 2013 trawling ban cut off local krill supply, and at least one producer responded by relocating production to Yangjiang and Taishan in Guangdong while retaining only final processing in Tai O

== Balance ==
We will treat this as a genuinely two-sided subject rather than a heritage-preservation argument. Points we intend to present in proportion:

* Marine conservation policy (the trawling ban) protects Hong Kong's fisheries '''and''' severed the supply chain of a heritage food industry
* Traditional open-air sun fermentation produces a distinctive product '''and''' offers fewer microbiological controls than industrial processing
* Imported factory-made paste from Thailand and mainland China is displacing Tai O producers '''and''' keeps the product affordable and widely available
* The product is culturally valuable '''and''' is high in sodium

== Potential resources ==
'''Regulatory and scientific (primary):'''

* Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety — food safety focus articles on preserved foods and Group 1 carcinogens: https://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/multimedia/multimedia_pub/multimedia_pub_fsf_115_02.html
* IARC Monographs, Volume 100E — Chinese-style salted fish: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK304384/
* IARC Monographs, Volume 56 — Salted Fish summary and evaluation: https://www.inchem.org/documents/iarc/vol56/01-fish.html
* Canadian Food Inspection Agency — import requirements and labelling for fish and seafood products
* Health Canada — priority food allergens and sodium reduction targets
* Peer-reviewed literature on shrimp paste fermentation microbiology and biogenic amine formation (search terms: ''Acetes'', shrimp paste, biogenic amines, halotolerant, proteolysis)

'''Historical and cultural:'''

* Slow Food Foundation — Ark of Taste: https://www.slowfood.com/biodiversity-programs/ark-of-taste/
* The Industrial History of Hong Kong Group — Cheng Cheung Hing Shrimp Paste Factory, Tai O: https://industrialhistoryhk.org/cheng-cheung-hing-shrimp-paste-factory-tai/
* The Industrial History of Hong Kong Group — Sing Lee Shrimp Sauce and Paste Factory, Tai O: https://industrialhistoryhk.org/sing-lee-shrimp-sauce-paste-factory-tai/
* Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage inventory

'''Journalism AKA Reporting:'''

* Goldthread — on hand-made shrimp paste as a dying trade: https://www.goldthread2.com/food/hong-kong-tai-o-making-shrimp-paste-hand-dying-trade/article/3088577
* Localiiz — history of Hong Kong shrimp paste: https://www.localiiz.com/post/food-drink-history-shrimp-paste-hong-kong
* SBS Food — profile of a Tai O producer: https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/a-taste-of-the-sea-tai-os-famous-shrimp-paste/s831heim3

We will distinguish clearly in the text between claims supported by regulatory or peer-reviewed sources and claims drawn from journalistic profiles of individual producers.

== Questions ==

# Is the Cantonese salted fish comparison an appropriate inclusion, or would you prefer we keep the page entirely on shrimp paste?
# For the Canadian labelling analysis, is a photographed retail label acceptable as a cited source, and how would you like it attributed?
# Given that Bagoong was covered in 2022, is our differentiation approach sufficient, or would you rather we avoid the overlap altogether?

== question for exam outline ==
We plan to build the question around the distinction between preservation and safety: a product can be shelf-stable for years through water-activity reduction while still accumulating a hazard that this mechanism does not control.

A reason we would like this question to be included is that we typically associate successful food preservation with preventing spoilage. However, a food can remain edible and shelf-stable while still allowing processes that create food-safety concerns. This question tests whether students understand the important distinction between food preservation, spoilage, and safety, rather than treating them as the same concept.

Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/Tai O shrimp paste

2026-08-10T03:22:59Z

AnsonChan: added reason why

'''Project option:''' Option B2 — a new page on an endangered food with cultural and historical significance

'''Food selected:''' Tai O shrimp paste (蝦膏 / 蝦醬), Tai O village, Lantau Island, Hong Kong

== Why this food ==
Tai O shrimp paste is a salt-fermented condiment made from only two ingredients — small krill (''Acetes'' spp.) and salt — sun-matured on bamboo trays.

* '''Endangered.''' Tai O supported roughly ten shrimp paste factories run by local Tanka families in the 1960s; fewer than a handful remain today, and Tai O is now one of the last places in Hong Kong where the paste is still produced. A neighbouring production centre on Ma Wan, which once produced tens of thousands of kilograms annually, has no operating factories left.
* '''Culturally and historically significant.''' The paste is a foundation flavour of Cantonese home cooking and is tied to the Tanka boat-dwelling community and to Tai O's older salt-production and fishing economy.
* '''Not previously covered.''' We checked the [http://wiki.ubc.ca/Course:FNH200/TeamProjectsShowcase Team Projects Showcase] (2011–2025). No past team has written on Chinese or Hong Kong shrimp paste. The closest entry is Bagoong (2022), a Filipino fermented shrimp/fish product; we will cite that page and state explicitly how the Cantonese product differs in raw material, salt ratio, maturation time and end use, rather than duplicating it.
* '''Local relevance.''' Tai O paste was historically exported to Chinatowns in London, San Francisco and '''Vancouver''', with Taishanese immigrant communities in Canada and the US forming a significant export market. Jarred shrimp paste is still stocked in Vancouver-area Chinese grocers, so we can photograph and analyse a real Canadian retail label as primary material.

== Scope ==
Following the guidance to focus on a couple of areas rather than survey everything, we are '''not''' writing a general overview. We will write a short context section and then go deep on two subtopics.

=== Subtopic 1: Preservation and fermentation science (target ~450 words) ===

* Raw material: ''Acetes'' krill; seasonality and species variation, and how these affect the finished paste
* Salt as the sole preservative — reduction of water activity, osmotic dehydration of microbial cells, and selection for halotolerant organisms
* Autolytic and microbial proteolysis during maturation → free amino acids → glutamate and the umami profile
* Sun-drying on bamboo trays, daily turning, and a maturation period of roughly 30–45 days; colour and aroma development
* Producer-level process control as an applied example: makers reportedly add extra salt to a batch when rain is forecast and later blend it with a fair-weather batch to even out flavour — a practical illustration of water-activity management without instrumentation
* Reformulation over time: producers have reduced salt levels relative to earlier generations in response to consumer health concerns
* '''Course connections:''' water activity and the microbial growth curve (Lesson on spoilage and preservation), the hurdle concept, fermentation, and dehydration

=== Subtopic 2: Safety, labelling and regulation — Hong Kong vs Canada (target ~450 words) ===

* Sodium content and how it sits against Health Canada sodium reduction targets
* Biogenic amines (particularly histamine) in salt-fermented seafood: formation pathway, heat stability, and why preservation does not equal safety
* Microbiological and contaminant considerations in open-air processing
* '''Crustacean allergen declaration''' under the Canadian ''Food and Drug Regulations'' — what an imported jar must legally carry to be sold in BC, compared against a label we photograph in a Vancouver grocer
* Import oversight: CFIA requirements for imported fish and seafood products vs Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety guidance
* '''Contrast case:''' Cantonese salted fish (鹹魚), produced by some of the same Tai O businesses, is classified by IARC as a Group 1 carcinogen on the basis of its association with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, with N-nitroso compounds as the proposed mechanism. We will use this as a short comparison to show that traditional salt-preservation methods are not uniformly benign — not as the focus of the page.
* '''Course connections:''' food law and regulation, additives and labelling, chemical hazards

=== Context section (target ~200 words) ===

* Tai O's fishing and salt economy and the Tanka community
* Decline of the industry, with attention to a specific documented driver: Hong Kong's 2013 trawling ban cut off local krill supply, and at least one producer responded by relocating production to Yangjiang and Taishan in Guangdong while retaining only final processing in Tai O

== Balance ==
We will treat this as a genuinely two-sided subject rather than a heritage-preservation argument. Points we intend to present in proportion:

* Marine conservation policy (the trawling ban) protects Hong Kong's fisheries '''and''' severed the supply chain of a heritage food industry
* Traditional open-air sun fermentation produces a distinctive product '''and''' offers fewer microbiological controls than industrial processing
* Imported factory-made paste from Thailand and mainland China is displacing Tai O producers '''and''' keeps the product affordable and widely available
* The product is culturally valuable '''and''' is high in sodium

== Images and links ==

* Openly licensed images from Wikimedia Commons, attributed per the wiki's licensing guidance
* Original photographs taken by team members of retail product and labelling in a Vancouver-area Chinese grocer, released under a CC licence
* External links placed inline beside the specific claim they support, rather than collected only at the end

== Potential resources ==
'''Regulatory and scientific (primary):'''

* Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety — food safety focus articles on preserved foods and Group 1 carcinogens: https://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/multimedia/multimedia_pub/multimedia_pub_fsf_115_02.html
* IARC Monographs, Volume 100E — Chinese-style salted fish: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK304384/
* IARC Monographs, Volume 56 — Salted Fish summary and evaluation: https://www.inchem.org/documents/iarc/vol56/01-fish.html
* Canadian Food Inspection Agency — import requirements and labelling for fish and seafood products
* Health Canada — priority food allergens and sodium reduction targets
* Peer-reviewed literature on shrimp paste fermentation microbiology and biogenic amine formation (search terms: ''Acetes'', shrimp paste, biogenic amines, halotolerant, proteolysis)

'''Historical and cultural:'''

* Slow Food Foundation — Ark of Taste: https://www.slowfood.com/biodiversity-programs/ark-of-taste/
* The Industrial History of Hong Kong Group — Cheng Cheung Hing Shrimp Paste Factory, Tai O: https://industrialhistoryhk.org/cheng-cheung-hing-shrimp-paste-factory-tai/
* The Industrial History of Hong Kong Group — Sing Lee Shrimp Sauce and Paste Factory, Tai O: https://industrialhistoryhk.org/sing-lee-shrimp-sauce-paste-factory-tai/
* Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage inventory

'''Journalism AKA Reporting:'''

* Goldthread — on hand-made shrimp paste as a dying trade: https://www.goldthread2.com/food/hong-kong-tai-o-making-shrimp-paste-hand-dying-trade/article/3088577
* Localiiz — history of Hong Kong shrimp paste: https://www.localiiz.com/post/food-drink-history-shrimp-paste-hong-kong
* SBS Food — profile of a Tai O producer: https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/a-taste-of-the-sea-tai-os-famous-shrimp-paste/s831heim3

We will distinguish clearly in the text between claims supported by regulatory or peer-reviewed sources and claims drawn from journalistic profiles of individual producers.

== Questions ==

# Is the Cantonese salted fish comparison an appropriate inclusion, or would you prefer we keep the page entirely on shrimp paste?
# For the Canadian labelling analysis, is a photographed retail label acceptable as a cited source, and how would you like it attributed?
# Given that Bagoong was covered in 2022, is our differentiation approach sufficient, or would you rather we avoid the overlap altogether?

== question for exam outline ==
We plan to build the question around the distinction between preservation and safety: a product can be shelf-stable for years through water-activity reduction while still accumulating a hazard that this mechanism does not control.

A reason we would like this question to be included is that we typically associate successful food preservation with preventing spoilage. However, a food can remain edible and shelf-stable while still allowing processes that create food-safety concerns. This question tests whether students understand the important distinction between food preservation, spoilage, and safety, rather than treating them as the same concept.

Course:FNH200/Assignments/2026/Pringles – Regular vs Reduced Fat

2026-07-20T06:26:53Z

AnsonChan: /* Post pictures (Mandatory) */

Very briefly introduce your products here<ref>Sample Reference</ref>.

This is a template for your assignment. Feel free to modify the headings and remove all the tips and instructions as you add details of your assignment here.

== Pringles (Regular and Reduced Fat) ==
For Assignment 2, we compared '''Pringles Original Potato Chips''' and its '''Reduced Fat''' version. These two versions are both widely sold in Canada. Pringles itself is an American brand of potato chips invented in 1968.

Unlike traditional potato chips, which are made by slicing whole potatoes, Pringles are considered an '''extruded snack''' because they are produced by combining dehydrated potato flakes with starches, flours, and other ingredients into a dough. This dough is then extruded, cut into uniform shapes, and cooked, giving Pringles their distinctive curved shape and consistent texture.

We selected these products because they are nearly identical, with the reduced-fat version serving as a direct alternative to the original. This makes it easier to examine how reducing fat affects the ingredient formulation, nutritional profile, and product labelling while maintaining a similar flavour and texture.

== Post pictures (Mandatory) ==
[[File:Assignment-2-pringles-original.webp|thumb|345x345px|Pringles Original Picture]]
[[File:Assignment-2-pringles-original-label.webp|thumb|Pringles Original Label]]
[[File:Assignment-2-pringles-original-ingredients.jpg|thumb|Pringles Original Ingredients List]]
[[File:Assignment-2-pringles-reduced-fat.jpg|none|thumb|Pringles Reduced Fat Picture]]
[[File:Assignment-2-pringles-reduced-fat-label.png|none|thumb|Pringles Reduced Fat Label]]
[[File:Assignment-2-pringles-reduced-fat-ingredients.jpg|none|thumb|Pringles Reduced Fat Ingredients List]]

== Ingredient lists (4 points)==
# Type out the lists of ingredients
# Identify fat substitutes, sugar substitutes, and/or additives used, if there is any
# Explain the roles of fat substitutes, sugar substitutes, and/or additives used in terms of the functional properties they contribute to the product
# Compare and contrast the lists of the two products and explain differences

== Labels (1 points)==
# Provide detailed description of the information found on the labels
# Indicate whether the information complies with the regulatory requirements as outlined in Lesson 04.

== Personal Choice (5 points)==
Please submit your individual component of this assignment on Canvas to protect your privacy and your personal opinion

==References==
Please use the Wikipedia reference style. Provide a citation for every sentence, statement, thought, or bit of data not your own, giving the author, year, AND page.

'''Note:''' Before writing your wiki article on the UBC Wiki, it may be helpful to review the tips in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Writing_better_articles Wikipedia: Writing better articles].<ref>En.wikipedia.org. (2026). Pringles. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pringles [Accessed 19. July. 2026].</ref>

<references/>

{{Projectbox FNH200}}
[[Category:Food_Science]]

File:Assignment-2-pringles-reduced-fat-label.png

2026-07-20T06:20:49Z

AnsonChan: Uploaded a work by SmartLabel from https://smartlabel.kelloggs.com/Product/Index/00038000165276 with UploadWizard

=={{int:filedesc}}==
{{Information
|description={{en|1=FNH 200 Assignment 2 Pringles Reduced Fat Label}}
|date=2026-07-19
|source=https://smartlabel.kelloggs.com/Product/Index/00038000165276
|author=SmartLabel
|permission=
|other versions=
}}

=={{int:license-header}}==
{{cc-by-4.0}}

File:Assignment-2-pringles-reduced-fat.jpg

2026-07-20T06:20:49Z

AnsonChan: Uploaded a work by Lunds & Byerlys from https://www.lundsandbyerlys.com/product/pringles-reduced-fat-original-potato-crisps-chips-id-00038000165276 with UploadWizard

=={{int:filedesc}}==
{{Information
|description={{en|1=FNH 200 Assignment 2 Pringles Reduced Fat Image}}
|date=2026-07-19
|source=https://www.lundsandbyerlys.com/product/pringles-reduced-fat-original-potato-crisps-chips-id-00038000165276
|author=Lunds & Byerlys
|permission=
|other versions=
}}

=={{int:license-header}}==
{{cc-by-4.0}}

File:Assignment-2-pringles-reduced-fat-ingredients.jpg

2026-07-20T06:20:49Z

AnsonChan: Uploaded a work by The Fresh Grocer from https://www.thefreshgrocer.com/sm/pickup/rsid/2000/product/pringles-original-reduced-fat-potato-crisps-49-oz-id-00038000165276 with UploadWizard

=={{int:filedesc}}==
{{Information
|description={{en|1=FNH 200 Assignment 2 Pringles Reduced Fat Ingredient's list}}
|date=2026-07-19
|source=https://www.thefreshgrocer.com/sm/pickup/rsid/2000/product/pringles-original-reduced-fat-potato-crisps-49-oz-id-00038000165276
|author=The Fresh Grocer
|permission=
|other versions=
}}

=={{int:license-header}}==
{{cc-by-4.0}}

File:Assignment-2-pringles-original-label.webp

2026-07-20T06:20:48Z

AnsonChan: Uploaded a work by Costco from https://www.costco.ca/p/-/pringles-original-potato-chips-12-67-g/100417583 with UploadWizard

=={{int:filedesc}}==
{{Information
|description={{en|1=FNH 200 Assignment 2 Pringles Original Label}}
|date=2026-07-19
|source=https://www.costco.ca/p/-/pringles-original-potato-chips-12-67-g/100417583
|author=Costco
|permission=
|other versions=
}}

=={{int:license-header}}==
{{cc-by-4.0}}

File:Assignment-2-pringles-original.webp

2026-07-20T06:20:48Z

AnsonChan: Uploaded a work by Caffeine Cam's from https://caffeinecam.com/products/pringles-original-potato-chips-148g-5-2-oz-imported-from-canada?srsltid=AfmBOop5pXGApLCFesMDY-MxuUn2H_8z6fCWDAVv8kJgD5_q_CM8-Fzp with UploadWizard

=={{int:filedesc}}==
{{Information
|description={{en|1=FNH 200 Assignment 2 Pringles Original Picture}}
|date=2026-07-19
|source=https://caffeinecam.com/products/pringles-original-potato-chips-148g-5-2-oz-imported-from-canada?srsltid=AfmBOop5pXGApLCFesMDY-MxuUn2H_8z6fCWDAVv8kJgD5_q_CM8-Fzp
|author=Caffeine Cam's
|permission=
|other versions=
}}

=={{int:license-header}}==
{{cc-by-nc-4.0}}

File:Assignment-2-pringles-original-ingredients.jpg

2026-07-20T06:20:48Z

AnsonChan: Uploaded a work by Foods Co from https://www.foodsco.net/p/pringles-original-potato-crisps-chips/0003800000083 with UploadWizard

=={{int:filedesc}}==
{{Information
|description={{en|1=FNH 200 Assignment 2 Pringles Original Ingredient List}}
|date=2026-07-19
|source=https://www.foodsco.net/p/pringles-original-potato-crisps-chips/0003800000083
|author=Foods Co
|permission=
|other versions=
}}

=={{int:license-header}}==
{{cc-by-4.0}}

Course:FNH200/Assignments/2026/Pringles – Regular vs Reduced Fat

2026-07-20T06:03:20Z

AnsonChan: /* Post pictures (Mandatory) */

Very briefly introduce your products here<ref>Sample Reference</ref>.

This is a template for your assignment. Feel free to modify the headings and remove all the tips and instructions as you add details of your assignment here.

== Pringles (Regular and Reduced Fat) ==
For Assignment 2, we compared '''Pringles Original Potato Chips''' and its '''Reduced Fat''' version. These two versions are both widely sold in Canada. Pringles itself is an American brand of potato chips invented in 1968.

Unlike traditional potato chips, which are made by slicing whole potatoes, Pringles are considered an '''extruded snack''' because they are produced by combining dehydrated potato flakes with starches, flours, and other ingredients into a dough. This dough is then extruded, cut into uniform shapes, and cooked, giving Pringles their distinctive curved shape and consistent texture.

We selected these products because they are nearly identical, with the reduced-fat version serving as a direct alternative to the original. This makes it easier to examine how reducing fat affects the ingredient formulation, nutritional profile, and product labelling while maintaining a similar flavour and texture.

== Post pictures (Mandatory) ==
{| class="wikitable"
!Pringles Original
!Priginals Reduced Fat
|-
|
|
|-
|
|
|-
|
|
|}
[[File:Crepuscular Rays in GGP.jpg|thumbnail|right|Images from [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page Wikimedia Commons] can be embedded easily.]]

== Ingredient lists (4 points)==
# Type out the lists of ingredients
# Identify fat substitutes, sugar substitutes, and/or additives used, if there is any
# Explain the roles of fat substitutes, sugar substitutes, and/or additives used in terms of the functional properties they contribute to the product
# Compare and contrast the lists of the two products and explain differences

== Labels (1 points)==
# Provide detailed description of the information found on the labels
# Indicate whether the information complies with the regulatory requirements as outlined in Lesson 04.

== Personal Choice (5 points)==
Please submit your individual component of this assignment on Canvas to protect your privacy and your personal opinion

==References==
Please use the Wikipedia reference style. Provide a citation for every sentence, statement, thought, or bit of data not your own, giving the author, year, AND page.

'''Note:''' Before writing your wiki article on the UBC Wiki, it may be helpful to review the tips in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Writing_better_articles Wikipedia: Writing better articles].<ref>En.wikipedia.org. (2026). Pringles. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pringles [Accessed 19. July. 2026].</ref>

<references/>

{{Projectbox FNH200}}
[[Category:Food_Science]]

Course:FNH200/Assignments/2026/Pringles – Regular vs Reduced Fat

2026-07-20T05:51:02Z

AnsonChan: updated description

Very briefly introduce your products here<ref>Sample Reference</ref>.

This is a template for your assignment. Feel free to modify the headings and remove all the tips and instructions as you add details of your assignment here.

== Pringles (Regular and Reduced Fat) ==
For Assignment 2, we compared '''Pringles Original Potato Chips''' and its '''Reduced Fat''' version. These two versions are both widely sold in Canada. Pringles itself is an American brand of potato chips invented in 1968.

Unlike traditional potato chips, which are made by slicing whole potatoes, Pringles are considered an '''extruded snack''' because they are produced by combining dehydrated potato flakes with starches, flours, and other ingredients into a dough. This dough is then extruded, cut into uniform shapes, and cooked, giving Pringles their distinctive curved shape and consistent texture.

We selected these products because they are nearly identical, with the reduced-fat version serving as a direct alternative to the original. This makes it easier to examine how reducing fat affects the ingredient formulation, nutritional profile, and product labelling while maintaining a similar flavour and texture.

== Post pictures (Mandatory) ==

Include photos of the two products of your choice, clearly showing the ingredient lists and the overall labels - mandatory, if you don't show it, the TA's can't mark the rest.

Instructions on how to add photos and images to UBC Wiki can be found here: [[Help:Adding Media/Images and Pictures|https://wiki.ubc.ca/Help:Adding_Media/Images_and_Pictures]]

[[File:Crepuscular Rays in GGP.jpg|thumbnail|right|Images from [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page Wikimedia Commons] can be embedded easily.]]

== Ingredient lists (4 points)==
# Type out the lists of ingredients
# Identify fat substitutes, sugar substitutes, and/or additives used, if there is any
# Explain the roles of fat substitutes, sugar substitutes, and/or additives used in terms of the functional properties they contribute to the product
# Compare and contrast the lists of the two products and explain differences

== Labels (1 points)==
# Provide detailed description of the information found on the labels
# Indicate whether the information complies with the regulatory requirements as outlined in Lesson 04.

== Personal Choice (5 points)==
Please submit your individual component of this assignment on Canvas to protect your privacy and your personal opinion

==References==
Please use the Wikipedia reference style. Provide a citation for every sentence, statement, thought, or bit of data not your own, giving the author, year, AND page.

'''Note:''' Before writing your wiki article on the UBC Wiki, it may be helpful to review the tips in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Writing_better_articles Wikipedia: Writing better articles].<ref>En.wikipedia.org. (2026). Pringles. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pringles [Accessed 19. July. 2026].</ref>

<references/>

{{Projectbox FNH200}}
[[Category:Food_Science]]

Course:FNH200/Assignments/2026/Pringles – Regular vs Reduced Fat

2026-07-20T05:48:05Z

AnsonChan: introduction

Very briefly introduce your products here<ref>Sample Reference</ref>.

This is a template for your assignment. Feel free to modify the headings and remove all the tips and instructions as you add details of your assignment here.

== Pringles (Regular and Reduced Fat) ==
For Assignment 2, we compared '''Pringles Original Potato Chips''' and its '''Reduced Fat''' version. These two versions are both widely sold in Canada. Pringles itself is an American brand of potato chips invented in 1968. Because of the manafucturing process, it is considered an extruded snack.

The reason why selected these proucts is because they are nearly identical, with the reduced-fat version serving as a direct alternative to the original. This makes it easier to examine how reducing fat affects the ingredient formulation, the nutritional profile, and the product's labelling.

== Post pictures (Mandatory) ==

Include photos of the two products of your choice, clearly showing the ingredient lists and the overall labels - mandatory, if you don't show it, the TA's can't mark the rest.

Instructions on how to add photos and images to UBC Wiki can be found here: [[Help:Adding Media/Images and Pictures|https://wiki.ubc.ca/Help:Adding_Media/Images_and_Pictures]]

[[File:Crepuscular Rays in GGP.jpg|thumbnail|right|Images from [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page Wikimedia Commons] can be embedded easily.]]

== Ingredient lists (4 points)==
# Type out the lists of ingredients
# Identify fat substitutes, sugar substitutes, and/or additives used, if there is any
# Explain the roles of fat substitutes, sugar substitutes, and/or additives used in terms of the functional properties they contribute to the product
# Compare and contrast the lists of the two products and explain differences

== Labels (1 points)==
# Provide detailed description of the information found on the labels
# Indicate whether the information complies with the regulatory requirements as outlined in Lesson 04.

== Personal Choice (5 points)==
Please submit your individual component of this assignment on Canvas to protect your privacy and your personal opinion

==References==
Please use the Wikipedia reference style. Provide a citation for every sentence, statement, thought, or bit of data not your own, giving the author, year, AND page.

'''Note:''' Before writing your wiki article on the UBC Wiki, it may be helpful to review the tips in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Writing_better_articles Wikipedia: Writing better articles].<ref>En.wikipedia.org. (2026). Pringles. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pringles [Accessed 19. July. 2026].</ref>

<references/>

{{Projectbox FNH200}}
[[Category:Food_Science]]

Course:FNH200/Assignments/2026

2026-07-20T05:38:03Z

AnsonChan: added group 15 fnh 200 assignment 2 page to 2026 list

{{Start tab|
| tab-1 = Welcome, Help and Resources
| link-1 = Course:FNH200/Projects
| tab-2 = 2026 Team Assignments
| link-2 = Course:FNH200/Assignments/2026
| tab-3 = 2026 Team Projects
| link-3 = Course:FNH200/Projects/2026
| tab-4 = Past Projects
| link-4 = Course:FNH200/TeamProjectsShowcase
}}

'''Assignment Team: Canadian food substitutes, food additives, and food regulations'''

Due date:

July 16, 2026 6:00 pm, team component, 5% of course grade

July 17, 2026 6:00 pm, individual component, to be submitted on Canvas; each individual member get to decide how much this component is worth between 0 and 10% of the course grade, the default is 5% of course grade

This is where you will report research you did on a food your team like and it's alternative (fat free, reduced sugar, etc). This enables us to create a database on ingredients used in our food systems, allowing us to make informed food choices.

:'''Suggestions''': '''NO Coca-Cola-, Pepsi-brand pop drinks'''. Otherwise, your choices are then quite unlimited: salad dressings, sauces, frozen desserts, beverages. Students also found it challenging to work on plain butter and sour cream. You may look for foods with at least six (just a rough number) ingredients according to the ingredient list.

Here are some steps and resources to help you create your page and have it appear on UBC wiki, so that it can be easily accessed by your peers and your instructor, and eventually, the UBC community.

===1. Login to the UBC Wiki===
Click the CWL button on the top of the page and login from there.

===2. Create Your Assignment Page===
Once your team have decided what product and its alternative to investigate, you may create your assignment page here.

Again, make sure you are already logged in to the UBC Wiki before the next step.
* Pick your assignment title:
** Suggestion: use BrandName_ProductName_Detail(IfAny)
** For example: Kraft_Yoghurt_Peach.

* A'''dd the title of your project to the box below''' and click on the '''create page''' button
* On the edit screen that loads, add some preliminary details, such as 'This is the assignment space for Team Awesome!!!!' to the edit screen and hit '''SAVE''' at the top or bottom of the page
*'''Copy the URL''' of your page and '''paste''' into the table below
* You may start writing your report here

<inputbox>
useve=yes
placeholder=project title here
preload=Course:FNH200/SampleAssignmentPage
prefix=Course:FNH200/Assignments/2026/
type=create

</inputbox>

===3. Begin Writing! ===
Your new wiki page will be created with some suggested headings and sections.

==Assignment Guidelines==

=== Select a food product ===
=== Post pictures ===
Include photos of the two products of your choice, clearly showing the ingredient lists and the overall labels - mandatoy, if you don't show it, the TA's can't mark the rest.

=== Ingredient lists (4 points)===
# Type out the lists of ingredients
# Identify fat substitutes, sugar substitutes, and/or additives used, if there is any
# Explain the roles of fat substitutes, sugar substitutes, and/or additives used in terms of the functional properties they contribute to the product
# Compare and contrast the lists of the two products and explain differences

=== Labels (1 points)===
# Provide detailed description of the information found on the labels
# Indicate whether the information complies with the regulatory requirements as outlined in Lesson 04
=== Personal Choice (5 points, optional 0 to 10%, flexible assessment)===
Please submit your individual component here on Canvas to protect your privacy and your personal opinion

== What We Investigated ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+
!Team Number
!Product Investigated
|-
|0 (Example from 2021)
|[[Course:FNH200/Assignments/2021/Hershey's Syrup vs. Hershey's Syrup Sugar Free|Hershey's Syrup - Regular vs Sugar Free]]
|-
|1
|Product Names (please link it to the proper page)
|-
|2
|Product Names (please link it to the proper page)
|-
|3
|Product Names (please link it to the proper page)
|-
|4
|[https://wiki.ubc.ca/index.php?title=Course:FNH200/Assignments/2026/Chapman%27s_ice_cream_sandwich_-regular_vs_no_added_sugar&veaction=edit Chapman's Ice Cream Sandwich-Regular vs No Added Sugar]
|-
|5
|Product Names (please link it to the proper page)
|-
|6
|[https://wiki.ubc.ca/index.php?veaction=edit&preload=Course%3AFNH200%2FSampleAssignmentPage&title=Course%3AFNH200%2FAssignments%2F2026%2FLay%27s_Chips_Classic+vs.+Baked+%28low+fat%29&create=Create+page&redirect=no Lay's Classic Chips vs Baked (less fat)]
|-
|7
|[https://wiki.ubc.ca/Course:FNH200/Assignments/2026/Oikos_GreekYogurt_Vanilla Oikos High Protein Vanilla Greek Yogurt vs Oikos PRO<sup>TM</sup> High Protein Vanilla Greek Yogurt (no added sugar)]
|-
|8
|Product Names (please link it to the proper page)
|-
|9
|[[UBC Wiki:To Meat or Not to Meat? A Canadian Comparison of Beyond Beef® and Lean Ground Beef]]
|-
|10
|Product Names (please link it to the proper page)
|-
|11
|[[Course:FNH200/Assignments/2026/Heinz Ketchup Sugar|Heinz Ketchup- Regular vs Sugar Free]]
|-
|12
|Product Names (please link it to the proper page)
|-
|13
|[https://wiki.ubc.ca/index.php?veaction=edit&preload=Course%3AFNH200%2FSampleAssignmentPage&title=Course%3AFNH200%2FAssignments%2F2026%2FTropicana_Orange+Juice_No+Pulp&create=Create+page&redirect=no Tropicana Orange Juice - Regular vs Reduced Sugar]
|-
|14
|[[Course:FNH200/Assignments/2026/Earth’sOwn Oat ZeroSugar|Earth's Own Milk - Oat vs. Original]]
|-
|15
|[[Course:FNH200/Assignments/2026/Pringles – Regular vs Reduced Fat|Pringles – Regular vs Reduced Fat]]
|-
|16
|Product Names (please link it to the proper page)
|-
|17
|Product Names (please link it to the proper page)
|-
|18
|Product Names (please link it to the proper page)
|-
|19
|Product Names (please link it to the proper page)
|-
|20
|Product Names (please link it to the proper page)
|-
|21
|Product Names (please link it to the proper page)
|-
|22
|Product Names (please link it to the proper page)
|-
|23
|Product Names (please link it to the proper page)
|-
|24
|Product Names (please link it to the proper page)
|-
|25
|[[Course:FNH200/Assignments/2026/RedBull EnergyDrink|Red Bull Energy Drink - Regular vs. Sugar-Free]]
|-
|26
|Product Names (please link it to the proper page)
|-
|27
|[https://wiki.ubc.ca/index.php?veaction=edit&preload=Course%3AFNH200%2FSampleAssignmentPage&title=Course%3AFNH200%2FAssignments%2F2026%2FDairyland+Cottage+Cheese+-+regular+vs+fat+free&create=Create+page&redirect=no Dairyland Cottage Cheese - regular vs fat free]
|-
|28
|Product Names (please link it to the proper page)
|-
|29
|Product Names (please link it to the proper page)
|-
|30
|Product Names (please link it to the proper page)
|-
|31
|Product Names (please link it to the proper page)
|-
|32
|Product Names (please link it to the proper page)
|-
|33
|Product Names (please link it to the proper page)
|-
|34
|Product Names (please link it to the proper page)
|-
|35
|Product Names (please link it to the proper page)
|-
|36
|Product Names (please link it to the proper page)
|}
'''Potential Resources:'''

Food and Drug Regulations of The Food and Drugs Act of Canada:

http://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/C.R.C.,_c._870/

Regulations under the Canada Agricultural Product Acts:

http://www.laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-0.4/

↵Chan, J. (2026). ''FNH 200 Lesson 3: Fat and sugar substitutes''. University of British Columbia.

↵Chan, J. (2026). ''FNH 200 Lesson 4: Food standards, regulations, and guides''. University of British Columbia.

↵Health claims on food labels''':''' https://inspection.canada.ca/en/food-labels/labelling/industry/health-claims

↵Table of permitted nutrient content statements: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/technical-documents-labelling-requirements/table-permitted-nutrient-content-statements-claims/table-document.html

↵ Front-of-package nutrition labelling: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/nutrition-labelling/front-package.html?utm_campaign=hc-sc-vanity-24-25&utm_medium=vanity-url&utm_source=canada-ca_front-package-labelling

↵Justice Laws- Food Additives: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/C.R.C.,_c._870/section-B.16.100-20160614.html

Food Additives:

https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/C.R.C.,_c._870/page-74.html#h-573289

Course:FNH200/Assignments/2026/Pringles – Regular vs Reduced Fat

2026-07-20T05:36:39Z

AnsonChan: initialize fnh 200 2026 group 15 assignment 2 page

Very briefly introduce your products here<ref>Sample Reference</ref>.

This is a template for your assignment. Feel free to modify the headings and remove all the tips and instructions as you add details of your assignment here.

== Briefly introduce your food products (Optional) ==
Select a food available in Canada and one of its 'low fat', 'zero sugar', etc. alternative. Your options are unlimited: ice cream, cookies, beverage, and of course the wide and wild range of flavours, too. The two products that you are comparing should be similar, with one of them an alternative version of the other.

== Post pictures (Mandatory) ==

Include photos of the two products of your choice, clearly showing the ingredient lists and the overall labels - mandatory, if you don't show it, the TA's can't mark the rest.

Instructions on how to add photos and images to UBC Wiki can be found here: [[Help:Adding Media/Images and Pictures|https://wiki.ubc.ca/Help:Adding_Media/Images_and_Pictures]]

[[File:Crepuscular Rays in GGP.jpg|thumbnail|right|Images from [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page Wikimedia Commons] can be embedded easily.]]

== Ingredient lists (4 points)==
# Type out the lists of ingredients
# Identify fat substitutes, sugar substitutes, and/or additives used, if there is any
# Explain the roles of fat substitutes, sugar substitutes, and/or additives used in terms of the functional properties they contribute to the product
# Compare and contrast the lists of the two products and explain differences

== Labels (1 points)==
# Provide detailed description of the information found on the labels
# Indicate whether the information complies with the regulatory requirements as outlined in Lesson 04.

== Personal Choice (5 points)==
Please submit your individual component of this assignment on Canvas to protect your privacy and your personal opinion

==References==
Please use the Wikipedia reference style. Provide a citation for every sentence, statement, thought, or bit of data not your own, giving the author, year, AND page.

'''Note:''' Before writing your wiki article on the UBC Wiki, it may be helpful to review the tips in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Writing_better_articles Wikipedia: Writing better articles].<ref>En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Writing better articles. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Writing_better_articles [Accessed 18 Jan. 2018].</ref>

<references/>

{{Projectbox FNH200}}
[[Category:Food_Science]]