Various commercial brands of patis (fermented fish sauce) were analyzed comparatively, for their moisture, total solids, total nitrogen and sodium chloride contents.
From the standpoint of nutrition, those with higher total nitrogen contents are considered the better grades. The total solids range from 28.56 per cent to 37.81 per cent and sodium chloride from 22.26 per cent to 26.44 per cent. Samples with high total solids have better keeping quality because of low moisture content.
Although almost all the brands fall within the range requirement of total nitrogen, sodium chloride and total solids set by the Philippine Standard Association, yet as revealed by the analysis, these standards and requirements are met without technological planning and no effort is being made by the manufacturers to produce uniform standard grades of patis.