October 2025 – Selo de Mar

Reconstructing Ancient Fish Sauces: Experiments at Tróia

Outubro 2025

Os molhos de peixe fermentados, como o garum, eram altamente valorizados na Antiguidade greco-romana. Este estudo tem como objetivo revitalizar estes produtos através da recriação do garum em Tróia, seguindo uma receita do manual agrícola grego Geoponics, sob as temperaturas naturais do verão e procurando replicar as condições originais.

A experiência demonstrou que é possível recriar com sucesso um molho de peixe semelhante ao garum romano. A fermentação natural decorreu de forma eficaz, tendo as formulações D2 — especialmente as que incluíam vinho ou salmoura — apresentado os melhores resultados. O produto final revelou o aroma característico do garum e mostrou-se seguro para consumo.

Fermented fish sauces, such as garum, were highly valued in Greco-Roman antiquity. This study aims to revitalize these products by recreating garum in Tróia, following a recipe from the Greek agricultural manual Geoponics, under the natural summer temperatures and replicating the original conditions .

The experiment demonstrated that a fish sauce similar to Roman garum can be successfully recreated. Natural fermentation proceeded effectively, with D2 formulations—especially those with wine or brine—showing the best results. The final product had the characteristic garum aroma and was safe for consumption.

Joana Sales, a member of LEAF at the Instituto Superior de Agronomia, attended the 14th National Chromatography Meeting, held in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, where she presented a poster entitled “From sea to hive: What shapes the aroma of Garum.”
The featured study highlights the relevance of chromatographic techniques in examining the aromatic individuality of two types of garum produced by the SELO DE MAR project — one made from sardines and the other from bee pollen. The analysis made it possible to unveil the distinctive aromatic profile of each preparation, contributing to a deeper understanding of the chemical and sensory characteristics of this product.