View source for Fish sauce

{{short description|Condiment made from fish}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox food
| name = Fish sauce
| image = File:Sauce de poisson.jpg
| image_size = 
| caption = 
| alternate_name = 
| country = Various places
| region = [[Southeast Asia]] and [[East Asia]]
| national_cuisine = [[Burmese cuisine|Myanmar]], [[Cambodian cuisine|Cambodia]], [[Chinese cuisine|China]], [[Lao cuisine|Laos]], [[Filipino cuisine|Philippines]], [[Thai cuisine|Thailand]], and [[Vietnamese cuisine|Vietnam]]
| creator = 
| course = 
| type = [[Condiment]]
| served = 
| main_ingredient = [[Fish as food|Fish]], salt
| variations = 
| calories = 
| other = 
| cookbook = Fish Sauce
}}
{{Chinese cuisine}}{{Japanese cuisine}}{{Infobox Chinese
| t = 魚露
| s = 鱼露
| p = yúlù
| w = yü<sup>2</sup>-lu<sup>4</sup>
| j = jyu4lou6
| t2 = 蝦油
| s2 = 虾油
| poj2 = hê-iû (Min Dong, Hokkien)
| teo = he5 lou7
| s3 = 鱼水
| t3 = 魚水
| j3 = jyu4 seoi2 (Guangzhou Cantonese, Vietnam, Cambodia)
| kanji = 魚醤
| kyujitai = 魚醬
| kana = ぎょしょう
| romaji = gyoshō
| hangul = 어장
| hanja = 魚醬
| rr = eojang
| chunom = 渃𩻐
| qn = nước mắm
| my = ငါးငံပြာရည် (ngan bya yay)
| khm = ទឹកត្រី (tɨk trəy)
| tha = น้ำปลา
| rtgs = nam pla
| lao = ນ້ຳປາ (nam pā)
| msa = sos ikan
| ind = kecap ikan
| tgl = patis
}}
'''Fish sauce''' is a liquid [[condiment]] made from fish or [[krill]] that have been coated in [[Edible salt|salt]] and fermented for up to two years.<ref name="McGee">{{Cite book |last=McGee |first=Harold |title=On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen |publisher=Scribners |edition=Kindle}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Abe |first1=Kenji |last2=Suzuki |first2=Kenji |last3=Hashimoto |first3=Kanehisa |date=1979 |title=Utilization of Krill as a Fish Sauce Material |journal=Nippon Suisan Gakkaishi |volume=45 |issue=8 |pages=1013–1017 |doi=10.2331/suisan.45.1013 |doi-access=free}}</ref>{{RP|234}} It is used as a staple seasoning in [[East Asian cuisine]] and [[Southeast Asian cuisine]], particularly [[Burmese cuisine|Myanmar]], [[Cambodian cuisine|Cambodia]], [[Lao cuisine|Laos]], [[Filipino cuisine|Philippines]], [[Thai cuisine|Thailand]], and [[Vietnamese cuisine|Vietnam]]. Some [[garum]]-related fish sauces have been used in the West since the [[Roman times]].

Due to its ability to add a savory [[umami]] flavor to dishes, it has been embraced globally by chefs and home cooks. The umami flavor in fish sauce is due to its [[glutamate]] content.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Seashore Foraging & Fishing Study: From Poot-Poot to Fish Sauce to Umami to MSG |url=http://www.coconutstudio.com/Fish%20Sauce.htm |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090218145531/http://coconutstudio.com/Fish%20Sauce.htm |archive-date=18 February 2009 |access-date=2009-09-06}}</ref>

Fish sauce is used as a seasoning during or after cooking, and as a base in [[dipping sauce]]s. [[Soy sauce]] is regarded by some in the West as a vegetarian alternative to fish sauce though they are very different in flavor.<ref name="McGee" />{{RP|234}}

== History ==

=== Asia ===
Sauces that included fermented fish parts with other ingredients such as meat and soy bean were recorded in [[China]], 2300 years ago.<ref name="history">{{Cite web |last=Butler |first=Stephanie |date=2012-07-20 |title=Ketchup: A Saucy History |url=http://www.history.com/news/hungry-history/ketchup-a-saucy-history |access-date=2017-04-04 |website=History}}</ref> During the [[Zhou dynasty]] of ancient China, fish fermented with soybeans and salt was used as a condiment.<ref name="web1">{{Cite web |title=调料文化：酱油的由来 |url=http://big5.xinhuanet.com/gate/big5/www.godpp.gov.cn/wmzh/2007-10/11/content_11376810.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120130171757/http://big5.xinhuanet.com/gate/big5/www.godpp.gov.cn/wmzh/2007-10/11/content_11376810.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=30 January 2012 |access-date=2018-06-21 |publisher=Big5.xinhuanet.com}}</ref><ref>[[:zh:酱]]</ref> By the time of the [[Han dynasty]], soy beans were fermented without the fish into [[soy paste]] and its by-product [[soy sauce]],<ref name="needham2000">{{Cite book |last=Hsing-Tsung |first=Huang |title=Joseph Needham: Science and Civilisation in China, Vol.6, Part 5 |date=2000 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=0521652707}}</ref>{{RP|346, 358-359}} with fermented fish-based sauces developing separately into fish sauce.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kurlansky |first=Mark |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kK7ec92n5x8C |title=Salt: A World History |publisher=Walker and Co. |year=2002 |isbn=978-0-8027-1373-5 |location=New York |page=20}}</ref> A fish sauce, called ''kôechiap'' in [[Hokkien]] Chinese, might be the precursor of [[ketchup]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gandhi |first=Lakshmi |date=2013-12-03 |title=Ketchup: The All-American Condiment That Comes From Asia |work=NPR |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/12/02/248195661/ketchup-the-all-american-condiment-that-comes-from-asia |access-date=2017-04-04}}</ref><ref name="McGee" />{{RP|233}}

By 50-100 BC, demand for fish sauces and [[fish paste]]s in China had fallen drastically, with fermented bean products becoming a major trade commodity. Fish sauce, however, developed massive popularity in Southeast Asia. Food scholars traditionally divide East Asia into two distinct condiment regions, separated by a bean-fish divide: Southeast Asia, mainly using fermented fish (Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia), and Northeast Asia, using mainly fermented beans (China, Korea, Japan). Fish sauce re-entered China in the 17th and 18th centuries, brought from Vietnam and Cambodia by Chinese traders up the coast of the southern provinces Guangdong and Fujian.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lim |first=Lisa |date=2017-07-21 |title=When China invented ketchup in 300BC, and how it morphed from a preserved fish sauce to sweet tomato gloop |work=South China Morning Post |url=http://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/2103418/when-china-invented-ketchup-300bc-and-how-it-morphed |access-date=2018-11-25}}</ref>

=== Europe ===
Fish sauces were widely used in ancient [[Mediterranean cuisine]]. The earliest recorded production was between 4th–3rd century BC by the Ancient Greeks, who fermented scraps of fish called ''[[Garum|garos]]'' into one.<ref name="McGee" />{{RP|235}}<ref>{{Cite book |last=Farnworth |first=Edward R. |url=https://archive.org/details/handbookfermente00farn |title=Handbook of Fermented Functional Foods |date=2003 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=0849313724 |location=Boca Raton, Florida |page=[https://archive.org/details/handbookfermente00farn/page/n34 22] |url-access=limited}}</ref> It is believed to have been made with a lower salt content than modern fish sauces.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Grainger |first=Sally |title=Fish Sauce: An Ancient Condiment |url=http://www.kcrw.com/etc/programs/gf/gf111001dashboard_dining_tha |access-date=26 October 2011 |website=Good Food SAT 1 OCT 2011 |publisher=National Public Radio}}</ref>

The [[Ancient Rome|Romans]] made a similar condiment called either [[garum]] or liquamen.<ref name="McGee" />{{RP|235}} According to [[Pliny the Elder]], "garum consists of the guts of fish and other parts that would otherwise be considered refuse so that garum is really the liquor from putrefaction."<ref>[https://www.loebclassics.com/view/pliny_elder-natural_history/1938/pb_LCL418.435.xml?readMode=recto Natural History] Pliny, the Elder. LoebClassics.com</ref> Garum was made in the Roman outposts of Spain almost exclusively from mackerel by salting the scrap fish innards, and then sun fermenting the flesh until it fell apart, usually for several months. The brown liquid would then be strained, bottled, and sold as a condiment. Remains of Roman fish salting facilities can still be seen, including in [[Roman fish salting factory|Algeciras]] in Spain and near [[Roman ruins of Creiro|Setúbal]] in Portugal. The process lasted until the 16th century when garum makers switched to anchovy and removed the innards.<ref name="McGee" />{{RP|235}}

Garum was ubiquitous in Classical Roman cooking. Mixed with wine it was known as ''oenogarum'', or with vinegar, ''oxygarum'', or mixed with honey, ''meligarum''. ''Garum'' was one of the trade specialties in [[Hispania Baetica]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Wilkinson |first=Paul |title=Pompeii: The Last Day |date=2003 |publisher=BBC |isbn=9780563487708 |location=London |chapter=Introduction}}</ref>{{Page needed|date=April 2017}} ''Garum'' was frequently maligned as smelling bad or rotten, being called, for example, "evil-smelling fish sauce"<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Curtis |first=Robert I. |date=1 January 1983 |title=In Defense of Garum |journal=The Classical Journal |volume=78 |issue=3 |pages=232–240 |jstor=3297180}}</ref> and is said to be similar to modern ''[[colatura di alici]]'', a fish sauce used in [[Neapolitan cuisine]].{{who|date=May 2017}}

In [[English language|English]] ''garum'' was formerly translated as ''fish pickle''. The original [[Worcestershire sauce]] is a related product because it is fermented and contains anchovies.

<gallery>
File:Factoría de salazones 001.jpg|Ruins of a Roman [[garum]] factory near [[Tarifa]], Spain
File:Fábrica romana de Salga 05.jpg|Ancient Roman garum factory in Portugal
File:Garumamphoren.JPG|Two amphoras for garum
</gallery>

== Difference from oyster sauce ==
While fish sauce and [[oyster sauce]] are both briny and may have related histories, they are different products. Fish sauce is watery, clear, and salty, whereas oyster sauce is made by reducing oyster extracts and therefore sweeter with a hint of salt and not as strong an aroma as fish sauce.<ref>{{Cite web |title=How to Use Fish Sauce |url=https://www.thespruceeats.com/thai-fish-sauce-nam-pla-overview-3217088 |access-date=2021-05-20 |website=The Spruce Eats |language=en}}</ref>

==Ingredients and manufacture==
[[File:Phu_quoc_fabication_de_nuoc_mam.jpg|thumb|left|Fish sauce fermentation containers in [[Phú Quốc]], Vietnam]]
Fish sauces historically have been prepared from different species of fish and shellfish, and from using the whole fish, or by using just fish [[blood]] or [[viscera]]. Most modern fish sauces contain only fish and [[edible salt|salt]], usually made from anchovy, shrimp, mackerel, or other strong-flavored, high oil fish. Some variants add [[herb]]s and [[spice]]s. For modern fish sauces, fish or shellfish are mixed with salt at a concentration of 10% to 30%. It is then sealed in a closed container for up to two years.<ref name="McGee" />{{RP|234}}

Once the original draft has been made, some fish sauces will be produced through a re-extraction of the fish mass via boiling. To improve the visual appearance and add taste, second-pass fish sauces often have added caramel, molasses, or roasted rice.<ref name="McGee" />{{RP|234}} They are thinner, and less costly. Some volume manufacturers of fish sauce will also water down a first-press to manufacture more products.

Fish sauce that has been only briefly fermented has a pronounced fishy taste. Extended fermentation reduces this and gives the product a [[nut (fruit)|nuttier]], richer and more savory flavor.<ref>Julalak Chuprom, Preeyanuch Bovornreungroj, Mehraj Ahmad, Duangporn Kantachote, Toshiki Enomoto,
Statistical optimization for the improved production of an extracellular alkaline nuclease by halotolerant Allobacillus halotolerans MSP69: Scale-up approach and its potential as flavor enhancer of fish sauce,
Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology,
Volume 8,
2016,
Pages 236-247</ref> An anonymous article, "Neuc-num", in [[Denis Diderot|Diderot]] and [[Jean le Rond d'Alembert|d'Alembert]]'s 18th-century [[Encyclopédie]], states: "It is said that Europeans become accustomed enough to this type of sauce".<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Diderot |first=Denis |title=Fish Sauce |url=http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=did;cc=did;rgn=main;view=text;idno=did2222.0002.783 |access-date=1 April 2015 |journal=The Encyclopedia of Diderot and d'Alembert Collaborative Translation Project|date=15 September 2012 }}</ref>

== Regional variations ==

=== Southeast Asia ===
Southeast Asian fish sauce is often made from [[anchovy|anchovies]], salt, and water, and is intensely flavoured. Anchovies and salt are arranged in wooden barrels to ferment and are slowly pressed, yielding the salty, fishy liquid. The salt extracts the liquid via [[osmosis]].

Southeast Asians generally use fish sauce as a cooking sauce. However, there is a sweet and sour version of this sauce which is used more commonly as a dipping sauce.

====Myanmar ====
Fish sauce in [[Myanmar]] is called ''ngan bya yay'' (ငါးငံပြာရည်). It's often a by-product of [[Ngapi|Hmyin ngapi]](မျှင်ငပိ)(Burmese Fish Paste made from small fishes, anchovies,krills and shrimps)<ref>Mi Mi Khaing, ''Cook and Entertain the Burmese Way'' (Rangoon, 1975) p. 98</ref>

====Cambodia====
In [[Cambodia]], fish sauce is called ''tik trei'' ({{langx|km|ទឹកត្រី}}, {{lang|km-latn|tœ̆k trei}}). Just like ''[[prahok]]'', it is believed to date back to the [[Cambodia#Pre-Angkorian and Angkorian era|pre-Angkorean era]]. Industrially fish sauce is produced by mixing ''trei aing keuy'' or [[anchovy|anchovies]] with [[coarse salt]] and fermenting it in large wooden [[barrel|vats]]. Over the period of six to eight months, it is distilled five times, before being transferred into jars and sun-fermented for the final 2–3 months. The most famous fish sauce is produced in the [[Kampot Province]]. Food Production Company of Kampot produces a speciality fish sauce containing [[roe]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Thaitawat |first=Nusara |title=The Cuisine of Cambodia |date=2000 |publisher=Nusara & Friends Co. Ltd. |isbn=978-9-748-77885-3 |location=Thailand |page=31}}</ref> Fish sauce is mixed with sugar, [[lime juice]], [[chili pepper]]s and crushed [[roasted peanuts]] to create sweet fish sauce, which is the most popular dipping sauce in Cambodia.<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 July 2017 |title=Sweet Fish Sauce |url=https://www.cambodiarecipe.com/recipe/sweet-fish-sauce/ |access-date=15 March 2020 |website=Cambodian Recipes}}</ref><gallery>
File:Neary Khmer, 2018-01-02 (004).jpg|Cambodian sweet fish sauce mixed with chopped chili peppers and slices of garlic
</gallery>

====Laos====
In [[Lao language|Lao]]/[[Isan language|Isan]], it is called ''nam pa'' ({{langx|lo|ນ້ໍາປາ}}). A chunkier, more aromatic version known as ''[[padaek]]'' is also used.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Marui |first=Junichiro |last2=Phouphasouk |first2=Souphachay |last3=Giavang |first3=Yethao |last4=Yialee |first4=Yanglao |last5=Boulom |first5=Sayvisene |date=2021-03-01 |title=Relationship between Salinity and Histamine Accumulation in Padaek, a Salt-Fermented Freshwater Fish Paste from Laos |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0362028X22068727 |journal=Journal of Food Protection |volume=84 |issue=3 |pages=429–436 |doi=10.4315/JFP-20-272 |issn=0362-028X|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ngo |first=Hope |last2=Staff |first2=Tasting Table |date=2022-05-09 |title=14 Fish Sauces Around The World, Explained |url=https://www.tastingtable.com/857336/3-types-of-fish-sauce-and-what-to-use-them-for/ |access-date=2025-04-15 |website=Tasting Table |language=en-US}}</ref>

==== Philippines ====
{{Main|Bagoong|Dayok}}
The [[Philippine condiments|Philippine]] fish sauce is known as ''patis''. It is one of the most important ingredients in Filipino cuisine.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Patis / Fish Sauce |url=http://www.marketmanila.com/archives/patis-fish-sauce |access-date=13 January 2019 |website=Market Manila|date=14 July 2007 }}</ref> ''Patis'' is a by-product of ''[[bagoong]]'' production, which include ''[[bagoong isda]]'' (fermented fish) and ''[[bagoong alamang]]'' (fermented [[krill]]), as well as the rarer ''bagoong macabebe'' (fermented [[oyster]]s) and ''bagoong sisi'' (fermented [[clam]]s). The fish used are typically small like [[sardine]]s, [[anchovies]], [[ambassid]]s, and the [[Juvenile fish|fry]] of larger fish. Unlike other fish sauce variants, the fermented solids are not discarded but are sold as separate products. The ''patis'' is skimmed from the upper layers of fermenting ''bagoong'' and is not pressed. As such, ''patis'' usually takes longer to produce than other types of fish sauce as it is reliant on the readiness of ''bagoong''.<ref name="fib" /><ref name="vv">{{Cite book |last=Van Veen |first=E.M. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h6-yzgZaTOAC |title=Advances in Food Research |publisher=Academic Press |year=1953 |isbn=9780080567495 |editor-last=Mrak |volume=4 |page=217 |chapter=Fish Preservation in Southeast Asia |editor-last2=Stewart, G.F.}}</ref><ref name="ffg" />

''Patis'' is nearly always cooked prior to consumption, even when used as an accent to [[salad]]s or other raw dishes. ''Patis'' is also used as an ingredient in cooked dishes, including a rice porridge called ''[[arroz caldo]]'', as a condiment for fried fish or an umami accent in a common dish, ''sinigang''. ''Patis'' is also used in place of table salt in meals to enhance the flavor of the food, where it can either be dashed from a dispensing bottle onto the food, or poured into a saucer and mixed with [[calamansi]] and [[labuyo chili]]s and used as a dipping sauce.<ref name="olympia">{{Cite book |last=Olympia |first=Minerva |url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK234688/ |title=Applications of Biotechnology to Fermented Foods: Report of an Ad Hoc Panel of the Board on Science and Technology for International Development |publisher=National Academies Press |year=1992 |chapter=Fermented Fish Products in the Philippines}}</ref><ref name="ffg">{{Cite web |title=Patis - Filipino Fishy Goodness |url=http://oysterfoodandculture.com/2009/06/patis-filipino-fishy-goodness/ |access-date=13 January 2019 |website=Oyster Food and Culture |archive-date=11 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111172228/http://oysterfoodandculture.com/2009/06/patis-filipino-fishy-goodness/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Patis |url=https://www.tagaloglang.com/patis/ |access-date=13 January 2019 |website=TagalogLang}}</ref><ref name="fib">{{Cite web |title=Filipino Icon: Bagoong |url=http://ffemagazine.com/filipino-icon-bagoong/ |access-date=13 January 2019 |website=For Filipinos in Europe|date=8 April 2014 }}</ref>

<gallery>
File:Bornayjars.jpg|Traditional [[Tapayan|''burnay'' jars]] containing fermenting ''[[bagoong]]'' in [[Ilocos Norte]]
File:09975jfSauces of the Philippinesfvf 02.jpg|Commercial ''patis'' sold in the Philippines
File:Sili at patis (fish sauce and chilis), Philippines.jpg|Dipping sauce made from ''patis'' with ''[[siling labuyo]]'' peppers
</gallery>

==== Thailand ====
Fish sauce in [[Thailand]] is called ''[[Nam pla]]'' ({{langx|th|น้ำปลา}}). In [[Isan language|Isan]], it is called ''nam pa''. Similar to the Laotian ''padaek'' is ''[[pla ra]]'' ({{langx|th|ปลาร้า}}), also used in [[Thai cuisine]]. In Thailand, fish sauce is used both in cooking and also served at the table as a condiment, for instance in noodle soups. Nearly every Thai meal is served with ''phrik nam pla'' as a condiment: a mixture of fish sauce, lime juice, and chopped [[bird's eye chili]]es. Sliced garlic is often added to this sauce.

Historically, there were two types of fish sauce made in Thailand: that made from freshwater fish, ''pla soi'', and that made from saltwater fish, ''pla kratak''. Either fish is fermented for at least eight months, three parts fish to two parts salt. The resulting mash is filtered. This yields the best fish sauce called the "base". The dregs are then mixed with water and salt and again fermented for three to four months. This yields a second-grade fish sauce, mostly used in cooking.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sukphisit |first=Suthon |date=2018-11-25 |title=Fish Tails |work=Bangkok Post |url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/lifestyle/food-and-drinks/1581906/fish-tails |access-date=2018-11-25}}</ref>

In 2014, the [[US Food and Drug Administration]] (FDA) banned the import of Thai fish sauces due to a lack of information about tests for [[botulinum toxin]]. The toxin can cause death if more than 0.5 [[microgram]]s are consumed. The Thai Office of Food Safety and Quality then tested 48 brands of fish sauce to determine the content of botulinum toxin in the products. Of 48 brands tested, 28 were genuine fish sauces from 18 production sites in 12 provinces. Twenty samples from production sites in eight provinces were adulterated fish sauce. Tests showed that none were contaminated with botulinum toxin types A, B, E, and F and were free of ''[[Clostridium botulinum]]'' bacteria.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2017-02-06 |title=21 brands of Thai fish sauce free from botulinum toxin |work=Thai PBS |url=http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/21-brands-thai-fish-sauce-free-botulinum-toxin/ |access-date=2018-11-25 |archive-date=3 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190603235831/http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/21-brands-thai-fish-sauce-free-botulinum-toxin/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2018, rumours again surfaced concerning banned Thai fish sauce.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2018-10-25 |title=FDA denies US ban on fish sauce from Thailand |work=The Nation |url=https://www.nationthailand.com/detail/national/30357106 |access-date=25 November 2018 |archive-date=16 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190616162805/http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30357106 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<gallery>
File:Phrik nam pla.jpg|''[[Phrik nam pla]]'' ("fish sauce with chili") is served with some Thai meals
File:Thaifishsauce0609.jpg|Prepared fish sauces in Thailand
</gallery>

==== Vietnam ====
{{See also|Nước chấm|Mắm nêm}}
The variety from [[Vietnam]] is called ''nước mắm''.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Robuchon |first=Joël |title=[[Larousse Gastronomique]] |date=2009 |publisher=Hamlyn |isbn=9780600620426 |edition=Updated |location=London |page=714}}</ref> There are two areas in Vietnam that are most famous for producing fish sauce: [[Phú Quốc]] and [[Phan Thiết]].

Fish sauce has a 300-year history dating back to the [[Champa]] kingdom of the [[Cham people]].<ref>Ng, J. (2021, September 13). Fish Sauce Museum: 300-Year-Old Recipes & Champa Artifacts In Phan Thiết. The Smart Local. Retrieved May 25, 2022, from https://thesmartlocal.com/vietnam/fish-sauce-museum/</ref> [[Phan Thiết]] can be identified with the birthplace of Vietnamese fish sauce. Before 1693, Phan Thiết was a territory of [[Champa]]. The Vietnamese occupied the area in 1693 and commercialized the fish sauce by keeping it in barrels and selling throughout the country. This business was popularized by Trần Gia Hòa who was born in 1872. There is a fish sauce museum in Phan Thiết. Popular brands in the US include Mega Chef, Red Boat, 3 Crabs, Golden Boy, and Hòn Phan Thiết.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hildebrant |first=Kyle |date=2014-02-17 |title=Fish Sauce Taste Test, 13 Brands Compared – Our Daily Brine |url=https://ourdailybrine.com/fish-sauce-taste-test/ |access-date=2017-04-04 |publisher=Ourdailybrine.com |archive-date=8 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108103047/https://ourdailybrine.com/fish-sauce-taste-test/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Vietnamese fish sauces are made with anchovies, mackerel, scabbard fish, and salt. High mercury concentration can be found in larger fish, especially in predator fish like scabbard fish. They do not have any additives like sugar, [[hydrolyzed protein]], or preservatives.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stanton |first=J. |date=2012-05-02 |title=What Are "Hydrolyzed Soy Protein" And "Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein," And Why Are They in Everything? |url=http://www.gnolls.org/3089/what-are-hydrolyzed-soy-protein-and-hydrolyzed-wheat-protein-and-why-are-they-in-everything/ |access-date=2017-04-04 |publisher=Gnolls.org}}</ref> Vietnamese prefer sauces without a strong smell, and transparent with a deep golden amber color. "First press" fish sauce, meaning the sauce is bottled from the first time the fermenting barrels are drained, also indicates quality. Lastly, when measuring the [[nitrogen]] level of fish sauces (°N, or grams of nitrogen per liter), most fish sauce on the market falls within the mid 20°N range. Anything over 30°N is considered high-grade, and 40°N is optimal.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Everything you want to know about Phu Quoc Fish Sauce |url=http://www.phuquocislandguide.com/phu-quoc-fish-sauce/ |access-date=2017-04-04 |publisher=Phuquocislandguide.com |archive-date=25 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180825073920/https://www.phuquocislandguide.com/phu-quoc-fish-sauce/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Pham |first1=Cuong |last2=Nguyen |first2=Tien |last3=Tran |first3=Diep |title=The Red Boat Fish Sauce Cookbook: Beloved Recipes from the Family Behind the Purest Fish Sauce |date=2021 |publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt |isbn=978-0-358-41097-3 |page=10 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8WoOEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA10 |language=en}}</ref>

''[[Nước chấm]]'' is a Vietnamese prepared fish-based condiment (also referred to as a "sauce") that is savory, lightly sweet and salty tasting, and can be sour and spicy if [[Lime (fruit)|lime]] and [[chili pepper]]s are added. The main components are fish sauce, water, and sugar.

''[[Fish paste|Mắm]]'' is made much like fish sauce, except that it is not fermented as long, and the fish is kept along with its liquid extract, not just the extract. ''Mắm'' can be used as a base condiment in dipping sauces with additional ingredients, used in soups, stir-fries and meat loaves, or eaten with rice as a main dish.

In January 2016, the [[Institute of Food Technologists]] published a study asserting that using Vietnamese fish sauce as a [[Salt substitute|substitute for sodium chloride]] (salt) in chicken broth, tomato sauce, and coconut curry reduced the amount of sodium chloride by 10 to 25 percent while still maintaining the perceived deliciousness, saltiness, and overall flavor intensity.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Huynh |first1=Hue Linh |last2=Danhi |first2=Robert |last3=Yan |first3=See Wan |date=27 November 2015 |title=Using Fish Sauce as a Substitute for Sodium Chloride in Culinary Sauces and Effects on Sensory Properties |journal=Journal of Food Science |volume=81 |issue=1 |pages=S150–S155 |doi=10.1111/1750-3841.13171 |pmid=26613570}}</ref> This idea is similar to the use of [[umami]] [[flavor enhancer]]s such as MSG to increase flavor intensity and reduce sodium requirement.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/cooking-with-msg-supersalt-2017-2|title=Everyone should cook with MSG, says food scientist|last=Lubin|first=Gus|website=Business Insider|date=2 February 2017|access-date=27 January 2019}}</ref>

According to the [[General Statistics Office of Vietnam|General Statistics Office]], in 2020, the output of fish sauce reached nearly 380 million liters.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Giải pháp nào cho ngành Nước mắm Việt Nam phát triển? |url=https://thanhtra.com.vn/kinh-te/thi-truong/giai-phap-nao-cho-nganh-nuoc-mam-viet-nam-phat-trien-200976.html |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=thanhtra.com.vn |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Nghề nước mắm tạo ra 6.000 tỷ đồng mỗi năm, xuất khẩu 25 triệu USD |url=https://thegioitiepthi.danviet.vn/nghe-nuoc-mam-tao-ra-6000-ty-dong-moi-nam-xuat-khau-25-trieu-usd-20211215182259955.htm |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=thegioitiepthi.danviet.vn |language=vi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=NLD.COM.VN |title=Việt Nam đang xuất khẩu 12,6% sản lượng nước mắm ra thế giới |url=https://nld.com.vn/kinh-te/phat-trien-nganh-nuoc-mam-o-viet-nam-giong-nhu-nganh-ruou-vang-the-gioi-20220624161627903.htm |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=Báo Người Lao Động Online |language=vi}}</ref> According to the Vietnam Fish Sauce Association, the output of fish sauce in 2023 is expected to reach about 420 million liters.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Thành lập Hiệp hội nước mắm Việt Nam là rất cần thiết |url=https://hiephoinuocmamvietnam.org.vn/ban-tin-hiep-hoi/ban-tin-noi-bo/thanh-lap-hiep-hoi-nuoc-mam-viet-nam-la-rat-can-thiet-22.html |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=HIỆP HỘI NƯỚC MẮM VIỆT NAM |date=15 April 2021 |language=vi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Phượng |first=Cẩm |date=2023-10-28 |title=Chắp cánh nước mắm Việt Nam |url=https://thuysanvietnam.com.vn/chap-canh-nuoc-mam-viet-nam/ |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=Tạp chí Thủy sản Việt Nam |language=vi}}</ref> The reason for this growth is due to the increasing domestic demand and the strong development of the fish sauce export industry.<ref>{{Cite web |last=ANH |first=QUỲNH |date=2023-10-05 |title=Động lực tăng trưởng từ xuất khẩu và kích cầu tiêu dùng trong nước |url=http://baokiemtoan.vn/dong-luc-tang-truong-tu-xuat-khau-va-kich-cau-tieu-dung-trong-nuoc-27407.html |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=BÁO KIỂM TOÁN NHÀ NƯỚC |language=vi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=tcct |date=2019-08-11 |title=Một số giải pháp phát triển thương hiệu nước mắm Phan Thiết |url=https://tapchicongthuong.vn/bai-viet/mot-so-giai-phap-phat-trien-thuong-hieu-nuoc-mam-phan-thiet-64468.htm |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=Tạp chí Công Thương |language=vi}}</ref> Vietnamese fish sauce is currently exported to more than 60 countries and territories around the world.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-08-11 |title=Nhiều khó khăn trong tiêu thụ, xuất khẩu nông, lâm, thủy sản |url=https://www.camau.gov.vn/wps/portal/trangchitiet/!ut/p/z1/nVJRb4IwEP4te_CR9UAEfRSyGOZkTufUvpADC3Rqq1jM5q-3msXMZENi05e73n33fb2PUDIjVOCeZ6i4FLjS8Zw6UWvYD3qeDyF0AOBt0Pwww24fnkZAplUFjuMSWqcfrk4XvJHlNQF6r9Y9_b-R6vVXFNBq-OdbA_QP8s_tlnYJTaRQ7EuRWYJrLFc8LrD4bsA5kumOK6YDKbIFigZkHKXibHNJiJyzcpnLZY5CFTqrX0uVl2SuJbj_UnBtMiZUr3UXVVZFU38QDQu257LcDTFjY35gj600YQvTsg3XdmLDNplldGKGhpskbbONGKd2SuYmnCb471rrj5yLOB8HJ3Hje8Vp3DOxQE-pL0PTr0ndcrUFaNUSzyb-wwbXLr3lk816MpnMDi9pGLb2-gIPHo4QVa4H/ |access-date=2024-02-19 |language=vi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Định vị hạng sang cho nước mắm việt |url=https://nhipcaudautu.vn/kinh-doanh/dinh-vi-hang-sang-cho-nuoc-mam-viet-3337998/ |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=nhipcaudautu.vn |language=vi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ngoc |first=Nu |date=2022-02-14 |title=Đặc sản Vinafood |url=https://vinafood.net/ |access-date=2024-02-19 |language=vi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-25 |title=Phát triển ngành nước mắm Việt Nam xuất khẩu ra thế giới |url=https://mekongasean.vn/post-7882.html |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=Mekong ASEAN |language=vi}}</ref> According to statistics, [[Vietnam]] currently has 783 fish sauce production facilities with 1,500 participating farming households,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hoàng - |first=Song |date=2021-12-15 |title=Khẩn cấp tìm giải pháp bảo vệ nguồn cá sản xuất nước mắm trước nguy cơ cạn kiệt |url=https://vneconomy.vn/khan-cap-tim-giai-phap-bao-ve-nguon-ca-san-xuat-nuoc-mam-truoc-nguy-co-can-kiet.htm |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=Nhịp sống kinh tế Việt Nam & Thế giới |language=vi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mai |first=Phạm Sao |date=2022-01-11 |title=Sản xuất nước mắm: Nỗi lo cạn kiệt nguyên liệu |url=https://thuysanvietnam.com.vn/san-xuat-nuoc-mam-noi-lo-can-kiet-nguyen-lieu/ |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=Tạp chí Thủy sản Việt Nam |language=vi}}</ref> producing about 250 million liters of fish sauce per year. Of which, 35 facilities produce fish sauce for export to 20 markets.<ref>{{Cite web |last=baochinhphu.vn |date=2022-06-25 |title=Nhiều dư địa cho xuất khẩu nước mắm của Việt Nam |url=https://baochinhphu.vn/nhieu-du-dia-cho-xuat-khau-nuoc-mam-cua-viet-nam-102220624194204916.htm |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=baochinhphu.vn |language=vi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Chuyên trang Infonet Báo VietnamNet |url=https://infonet.vietnamnet.vn/niem-tu-hao-nuoc-mam-viet-400552.html |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=Infonet News |language=vietnamese}}</ref>

<gallery>
File:Phu quoc bateau de peche 2.jpg|Fishing boats in {{lang|vi|[[Phú Quốc]]|italic=no}}, where the most prized fish sauce is made
File:Fish sauce factory, Phu Quoc.jpg|A fish sauce factory in {{lang|vi|Phú Quốc|italic=no}}
File:Bún trộn, James Bun, Paris 27 August 2016 004.jpg|A small bowl of [[nước chấm]] (literally meaning, dipping water)
File:Ăn quán ở P1 Đông Hà, Lễ 2th9n2023 (chén mắm nêm) (2).jpg|A bowl of [[mắm nêm]] 
</gallery>

=== East Asia ===

==== China ====
In China, fish sauce is called ''yúlù'' ({{lang-zh|s=鱼露|t=魚露|p=yúlù}}, literally "fish dew") and is native to the provinces of Guangdong and Fujian. In Chaoshan cuisine, fish sauce is made with Reeve's shad (''Tenualosa reevesii''), which is unsuitable for direct eating due to being fatty, bony, and odorous.<ref>Flavorful Origins, Season 1, Episode</ref>

==== Japan ====
In Japan, fish sauce is called ''gyoshō'' (魚醤); another name is ''uoshōyu'' (魚醤油). There are several variations used in regional cuisines. ''Ishiru'' in the [[Noto Peninsula]] is made from [[sardine]] and [[Squid (food)|squid]]. [[Shottsuru]], the best-known type of Japanese fish sauce and often used as a synonym for all ''gyoshō'', is from [[Akita Prefecture]] and is mainly made from [[sailfin sandfish]]. ''Ikanago shoyu'' of [[Kagawa Prefecture]] is made from [[sand lance]]. They are used in ''[[nabemono]]'', in salad dressings, and as a flavoring ingredient in [[ramen]] soups. Imported Thai / Vietnamese fish sauce in Japan is referred to as ''nanpurā'' (ナンプラー), from the Thai word for fish sauce ''nam pla''.
<gallery>
File:Gyosyou2830.JPG|Japanese fish sauces ''[[shottsuru]]'' and ''[[ishiru]]''
</gallery>

==== Korea ====
In Korea, fish sauce is called ''eojang'' ({{lang|ko|어장}}).

Across the [[Korean Peninsula]], ''aekjeot'' ({{lang|ko|액젓}}, literally "liquid ''[[jeotgal]]''"), a type of fish sauce usually made from fermented [[Engraulis japonicus|anchovies]] or ''kkanari''([[sand lance|pacific sand lances]]), is used as a crucial ingredient in many types of [[kimchi]], both for taste and fermentation.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-11-01 |title=REVIEW &#124; Seoul Kimchi, Upper Brook Street &#124; Confidentials Manchester |url=http://www.manchesterconfidential.co.uk/food-and-drink/korean/review-seoul-kimchi-upper-brook-street |access-date=2017-04-04 |publisher=Manchester Confidential |location=Manchester |archive-date=2 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202002216/http://www.manchesterconfidential.co.uk/food-and-drink/korean/review-seoul-kimchi-upper-brook-street |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Thousands prepare kimchi feast for Seoul's poor |work=Channel NewsAsia |url=http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/lifestyle/thousands-prepare-kimchi-feast-for-seoul-s-poor/3262656.html |url-status=dead |access-date=2016-11-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161108134827/http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/lifestyle/thousands-prepare-kimchi-feast-for-seoul-s-poor/3262656.html |archive-date=8 November 2016}}</ref>

In [[Jeju Island|Jeju island]], ''eoganjang'' ({{lang|ko|어간장}}), made of fermented ''godori'' (young [[Scomber japonicus|chub mackerel]]) or [[Trachurus japonicus|horse mackerel]], is used in place of [[soy sauce]].

<gallery>
Myeolchi-aekjeot.jpg|''[[Myeolchi-jeot|Myeolchi]]-[[aekjeot]]'' (anchovy sauce)
Eo-ganjang.png|''Eo-ganjang'' of [[Jeju Island]]
</gallery>

=== Europe ===

==== Italy ====
''[[Colatura di alici]]'' is an Italian fish sauce originating in the village of [[Cetara, Campania]].

==== England ====
[[Worcestershire sauce]] contains fermented anchovies among other ingredients, which is common in the [[Anglosphere]] countries.

==Nutrition contents==
Common commercial brands of fish sauce generally contain about 50% to 60% of the FDA's daily recommended amount of sodium per tablespoon serving. Most commercial brands of reasonable quality contain one or two grams of protein per serving; however, higher-quality brands may have four grams of protein or more, while lower-quality brands may have less than one gram of protein per serving. Fish sauce has an insignificant amount of carbohydrates and fats. [[Vitamin B12]], [[vitamin B-6]], and [[magnesium]] are present in small amounts.

==See also==
{{portal|Food}}
* [[Budu (sauce)|Budu]]
* {{annotated link|List of Chinese sauces}}
* [[Dip (food)#List of common dips|List of dips]]
* {{annotated link|List of fish sauces}}
* [[Prahok]]
* [[Shrimp paste]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Cooks Illustrated (September/October 2015) "Fish Sauce Taste Test" [https://www.cooksillustrated.com/taste_tests/1625-fish-sauce Best Fish Sauces of 2021 | Cook's Illustrated]
* Hastings (2015) [http://www.journalnow.com/home_food/food/fish-sauce-a-versatile-ingredient-that-works-in-many-cuisines/article_bb1deeb7-5b92-5168-b25d-400a7cbcf30a.html Fish sauce a versatile ingredient that works in many cuisines].
* Hildebrant (2014) [https://ourdailybrine.com/fish-sauce-taste-test/ "Fish Sauce Taste Test, 13 Brands Compared"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108103047/https://ourdailybrine.com/fish-sauce-taste-test/ |date=8 November 2020 }} from Our Daily Brine
* Johnson (2015) [https://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/2015/10/09/3-reasons-to-get-a-little-more-umami-in-your-diet "3 Reasons To Get A Little More Umami in your Diet"]. from US News health.
* Meewes, Veronica (2015) ''The Fish Sauce Cookbook'' published by Andrews McMeel ISBN, 9781449468699
* Murdoch (2004) [https://books.google.com/books?id=Ro3e18nC6psC&pg=PA128 ''Essential Seafood Cookbook''] Seafood sauces, pp.&nbsp;128–143. [[Murdoch Books]]. {{ISBN|978-1-74045-412-4}}.
* Nguyen (2008) [http://vietworldkitchen.typepad.com/blog/2008/11/fish-sauce-buying-guide.html "How to Buy Fish Sauce: A Guide"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180908010450/http://vietworldkitchen.typepad.com/blog/2008/11/fish-sauce-buying-guide.html |date=8 September 2018 }} from Viet World Kitchen
* {{Cite web |last=Prichep |first=Deena |date=26 October 2013 |title=Fish Sauce: An Ancient Roman Condiment Rises Again |url=https://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/10/26/240237774/fish-sauce-an-ancient-roman-condiment-rises-again |access-date=5 November 2013 |publisher=[[NPR]]}}
* Rosen (2013) [https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/11/can-fish-sauce-be-vietnams-champagne/281071/ "Can Fish Sauce Be Vietnam's Champagne?"] from The Atlantic

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Wiktionary}}
* [http://www.hungryhuy.com/vietnamese-dipping-fish-sauce-recipe-nuoc-cham-nuoc-mam-cham/ Making Vietnamese prepared fish sauce dipping sauce (nước chấm)] from HungryHuy.com
* [http://www.phuquocislandguide.com/phu-quoc-fish-sauce/ Phu Quoc fish sauce guide] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180825073920/https://www.phuquocislandguide.com/phu-quoc-fish-sauce/ |date=25 August 2018 }} from PhuQuocIslandGuide.com

{{Fish sauce|state=expanded}}
{{seafood}}
{{Condiments}}
{{Filipino cuisine}}
{{Thai cuisine}}

[[Category:Ancient dishes]]
[[Category:Cambodian cuisine]]
[[Category:Chinese sauces]]
[[Category:Fish sauces| ]]
[[Category:Korean condiments]]
[[Category:Lao cuisine]]
[[Category:Philippine condiments]]
[[Category:Sauces]]
[[Category:Thai cuisine]]
[[Category:Umami enhancers]]
[[Category:Vietnamese cuisine]]