This communication describes the design aspect and functions of individual pieces of equipment of a pilot plant for the production of fish ensilage based on lactic acid fermentation process. Details about the equipment, process flow sheet and equipment layout of the pilot plant have been given. An attempt has been made to prepare an estimate of the cost of production of liquid ensilage and solid feed mix

Chakraborty, P.K.

James, M.A.

Aquatic Commons

PILOT PLANT FOR PRODUCTION OF FISH ENSILAGE 
AND THE ECONOMICS Of PRODUCTION 
P. K. CHAKRABORTY AND M. ARUL JAMES 
Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, Willingdon Island, Cochin-682003 
This communication describes the design aspect and 
functions of individual pieces of equipment of a pilot plant 
for the production of fish ensilage based on lactic acid 
fermentation process. Details about the equipment, process 
flow sheet and equipment layout of the pilot plant have been 
given. An attempt has been made to prepare an estimate of 
the cost of production of liquid ensilage and solid feed mix. 
INTRODUCTION 
Fish ensilage as an alter-
native animal feed in place of 
conventional fish meal from miscellaneous 
fishes and fish waste has been suggested 
by many workers (Edin, 1940; Olsson, 
1942; Petersen, 1951; Hanson, 1951; 
Freeman et a!., 1956; Sperling, 1959; 
McBride et al., 1961 and Tatterson and 
Windsor, 1974) and the nutritional aspect 
of fish ensilage from freshwater species 
has bfen studied by Krishnaswami (1965). 
Liquid fish ensilage can be prepared by 
ming mineral acids or formic acid or by 
lactic acid produced by microbial 
fermentation. Of these processes, the 
fermentation process is better as reported 
by Nilsson (1961) because the product can be 
used for direct feeding to animal while in 
the other case, the mineral acid has to be 
neutralised before feeding to animal. 
VoL 13 No. 2 1976 
Unlike fish meal, it does not require any 
dilution with other feeding stuff (Windsor 
' 1974) due to low concentration of protein 
compared to fish meal. 
In India, James (1966) outlined a 
method for fish ensilage production using 
lactic acid fermentation of pre-cooked 
fish in presence of Lactobacillus planta-
rum NCIB 6105. The product was found 
to be an ideal nutritional supplement to 
animal diet as reported by James ( op. 
cit.). The present communication pertains 
to the design of a pilot plant based on 
the same process. 
MATERIAL AND METHODS 
Fish ensilage is prepared from edible 
variety of miscellaneous fishes like jew 
fish (Pesudoscianea spp.), silver bellies 
(Leio gnathus spp.), spratts ( Anchoviella spp) 
115 
Cliafhaoori!J & Arul 'James: Pilot plant for production of fisfi ensilage and tile economics of production 
and fish waste by the process described 
by James (op. cit.). 
Equipment and their functions: 
Fish ensilage pilot plant comprises 
of the following pie0es of equipment 
having capacity to handle 250 kg. of raw 
material per batch. 
i) Concrete washing tank: 
This is required for washing the raw 
material to remove sand, dirt and other 
extraneous matter. The tank is fitted 
with water inlet pipe and an outlet drain 
pipe with a gate valve for removing 
dirty water. 
ii) Meat mincer: 
Helical type continuous meat mincer 
FLOW SHEET 
Fig. 1 
116 
LAYOUT 
Fig. 2 
is used for mincing raw fish. The pur-
pose of mincing is to reduce the size 
of the muscle thereby helping in 
cooking process and for getting homoge-
nous minced mass from different types of 
fishes. The mincer is fitted with reduction 
gear motor, electrical drive system with 
reversing switch, different sizes of per-
forated extruder plates, working plat-
form etc. 
iii) Stainless steel reaction vessel: 
This is a steam jacketed type reaction 
vessel with an air tight cover lid. The 
vessel is fitted with steam/water jacket, 
anchor type agitator drive system, charg-
Fish. Techno!. 
Cfwltra5orty & Arul :lames: Pilot plant {or production of fisf?t tlnsilage and tfte economics of Production 
i ng and discharging doors, dial thermo-
meter. and other standard fittings. 
The vessel IS used for two main 
purposes viz., cooking and fermentation. 
The raw minced mass is mixed with 
required amount of water (approx. 30%) 
and molasses (15%) and cooked (20 mi-
nutes at 90°C) using steam while stirring. 
The cooked mass which is sterile is 
cooled by passing cold water in the 
jacket, fermenting agent added and is 
allowed to ferment for 1-2 days vigoro-
usly under constant agitation. The vessel 
is installed at higher level (1.5 metres) 
than the equipment number iv for tran-
sferring the material by gravity flow. 
iv) Concrete storage cum 
fermenter tank: 
The concrete tank is a closed vessel 
with wide charging and discharging doors. 
Discharge door is fitted with discharge 
pipe and a gate valve. This tank IS 
fitted with hand laddie. This serves as 
storage cum fermenter tank. Partially 
fermented mass from iii is drained by 
gravity using a hose pipe into the vessel 
and fermentation is allowed to continue 
for 6 to 7 days till complete (PH 4). 
From this vessel fish ensilage is filled 
directly in the final storage and distri-
bution container. 
v)" Rotocone blender cum dryer: 
This machine is used for the prepa-
ration of solid feed mix. Fish ensilage 
is mixed with deoiled rice bran in the 
proportion of 1:1 or 2:1 and dried at 
70°C to 10% moisture level simultane-
ously in this machine. The machine is 
fitted with steam jacket, charging and 
discharging door, dial thermometer, stan-
dard steam fittings and geared motor 
electrical drive system for rotating the 
dryer. Product from dryer can be directly 
fed into polyethylene lined gunny bags 
for storage and distribution. 
Details about the process and equip-
ment have been indicated in the flow sheet 
and layout (Fig. I & 2) 
Estimate of the economics of production of fish ensilage and dry feed mix 
I. Total space requirement (Minimum) 
1) Total land (15m. x IO m.) : 150 sq. m. 
2) Built up area (9.5 m. x 6.5 m.) : 62 sq. m. 
@ Rs. 350/- per sq. m. 
II. Machinery and equipment 
1) Woodjcoal fired low capacity boiler 
(100 kg./hr., 5.5 to 7 kg.jcm2.) 
completed with fittings, accessories 
2) Cemented washing tank: Capacity: 490 litres 
Completed with fittings 
VoL 13 No. 2 1976 
1 No. 
I No. 
I,500.00 
19,200.00 
20,700.00 
12,000.00 
400.00 
117 
C#i.afrrat5orty & Arul'James: Pilot ptant for Production of fi:sft en~Hage and tfi:e economics of P.rodudion 
118 
3) Heavy duty screw type meat minc.er 
Capacity: 100 kg.jhr. 
Completed with accessories and fittings 
4) Stainless steel reaction vessel 
Capacity: 412.5 Iitres. Completed with 
agitator drive system, accessories, fittings 
5) Concrete storage cum fermenter tank 
Capacity: 375 litres. Completed with fittings 
6) Rotocone blender cum dryer 
Capacity: 375 litres. Completed with 
accessories and standard fittings 
7) Water pump set & overhead tank (200 litres) 
8) Platform balance: Capacity: 100 kg. 
9) Ice box; l cu. m. 
1 0) Plastic buckets of 15 lit res capacity 
11) G. I. tubes (or AI.) of 50 litres capacity 
12) Plumbing, steam and water line fittings 
13) Electrical wiring and fittings 
14) Installation of machinery 
15) Miscellaneous 
III. Recurring expenditure 
I No. 
1 No. 
3 Nos. 
1 No. 
1 set 
1 No. 
2 Nos. 
6 Nos. 
6 Nos. 
(Basis: 250 days/year, 125 days{year for each product) 
Ensilage 
a) Fuel, water & electricity 
i) Fire wood at 16 kg./hr., 5 hrs./day 
@ Rs. 100/- per tonne, 10 tons per year 
ii) Electricity: 25 KW{day @ 15 ps.junit. 
b) Raw material 
i) 250 kg. fish/day, 31.25 tonnesfyear each 
@ Rs. 500/- per tonne 
ii) Molasses: 37.5 kg./ day, 5 tonnesjyear 
@ Rs. 100/- per tonne. 
iii) Rice bran, 300 kg.jday, 37.5 tonnesjyear 
@ Rs. 50/- per tonne 
iv) Jerry cans, 50 Iitres. capacity, 
6 per day x 125, @ Rs. 100/- each 
v) Poly. lined jute bags, 25 kg. capacity 
16 per day x 125, @ Rs. 3.50 each 
1,000.00 
500.00 
15,725.00 
500.00 
7,500.00 
5,000.00 
40,000.00 
9,000.00 
25,000.00 
2,500.00 
1,500.00 
5.000.00 
90.00 
600.00 
6,000.00 
2,000.00 
3,000.00 
2,000 00 
Rs. 1,14,090.00 
Feed mix 
1,000.00 
500.00 
15,725.00 
500.00 
16,750.00 
7,000.00 
Fish. Techno!. 
C1ialira6orty & Arul1ames: Pilot plal'lt for production of fisfi ensilage and tfie economics of Production 
c) Labour charges 
i) Casual labour, 3 Nos. @ Rs. 6/- day 2,250.00 2,250.00 
ii) Boiler man cum mechanic 
@ Rs. 200/-p-m, 6 months each 1 No. 1,200.00 1,200.00 
d) Wastage and unforeseen 1,000.00 1,000.00 
Rs. 29,675.00 Rs. 47,925.00 
Summary: 
Fixed capital 
Land and Building: 
Machinery/equipment: 
Rs. 20,700.00 
Rs. 1,14,090.00 
Total Rs. 
Working capital for ensilage: 
Working capital for feed mix 
Cost of production 
Depreciation on building @ 5% 
(say on 21,000.00) 
1,34,790.00 = Rs. 1,35,000.00 (approx) 
Rs. 15,000.00 
24,000.00 
Ensilage Feed mix 
525.00 525.00 
Depreciation on machinery & equipment 
at 10% (on 1,14,000.00) 5,700.00 5,700.00 
Interest on locked up capital at 10% 
(on I ,33,300.00) 6,665.00 6,665.00 
Profit on working capital at 15% 
(on 15,000.00 and 24,000.00) 
Recurring expenditure III 
Rs. 
2,250.00 3,600.00 
29,675.00 47,925.00 
44,815.00 Rs. 64,415.00 
Yield of ensilage 37.5 tonnes/year 
Yield of feed mix 50 tonnes/year 
Cost of production of ensilage : 
Cost of production of feed mix: 
DISCUSSION 
In the preparation of the' pilot plant 
design for fish ensilage special attentbn 
has been paid in the selection of equip-
ment to keep the plant cost low. In 
this integrated plant provision has been 
made to prepare both liquid fish ensilage 
VoL 13 No. 2 1976 
Rs. 1300.00 per tonne. 
Rs. 1300.00 per tonne. 
and dry feed mix to bring down pro-
duction cost. Jn order to reduce plant 
cost, three concrete storage cum fermenter 
tanks have been used in place of costly 
stainless steel fermenter and only one 
stainless steel reaction vessel has been 
designed to perform several functions like 
cooking, mixing, sterilization and initial 
119 
CfiaihafJorty & Arul 'James: 'Pilot plant for production of fisfi ensilage and tfie economics of Production 
fermentation. This vessel has been inst-
alled at higher level than that of concrete 
tanks for transferring partially fermented 
product from stainless steel fermenter 
by gravity alone. For the production of 
solid feed mix, only one additional 
equipment mimely rotocone blender dryer 
has been added up to the main plant. 
In this design provision has been made 
to increase the plant capacity considerably 
by incorporating few more concrete fer-
menter tanks without much extra cost. 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 
The authors wish to thank Shri. 
G. K. Kuriyan, Director of this Institute 
and Shri. M. R. Nair for their interest 
and encouragement in the course of this 
work. 
REFERENCES 
Edin, H. 1940. Nord. Jordbr. Forsk; 
22 : 142. 
Freeman, H. C. and P. L. Hooland. 1956. 
Fish. Res. Bd. Canada Prog. Report of 
At!. Coast Stn; 65 : 24. 
Hanson, S. W. F. and J. A. Lovarn. 1951. 
Fish. News; 1988 : 11. 
120 
Hassen, P. 1958. Meddr. Fisk. Minist. 
Fors; Lab; May : 1. 
James Arul. !966. Fish. Techno!; 3, 
1 : 3!<. 
Krishnaswami, M.A., S. B. Kadkol and 
G. D. Revankar. 1965. Canadian J. 
Bio-chem; 4, 3 : 283. 
McBride, J. R., D. R. Idler and R. A. 
McLeod. 1961. J. Fish. Res. Bd. 
Canada; 18, 1 : 93. 
Nilsson, C. Rand Rydin. . 1961. United 
Nations Inter Office Memorandum. 
Olsson, N. 1942. Lantbrukshogskolans 
Husdjursforsoksan Stalten; Report 
No.7. 
Petersen, H. 1951. Mddr. Fisk. Minist. 
Fors. Lab; 95 : 1. 
Sperling, L.. Albert and F. John. 1959. 
Deut. Land Wirtsch; II, 37. 
Tatterson, I. N. and M. L. Windsor. 1974. 
J. Sci. Fd. Agric; 25 : 369. 
Windsor, M. L. 1974. Fishery Products; 
F. A. 0. Publication, p. 140. 
Fish. Techno!. 


Pilot plant for production of fish ensilage and the economics of production

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