River Fish · Unique Process
The Technology
A freshwater fish canning process that didn’t exist — until one man decided to create it from scratch.
The River Fish technology is a unique freshwater fish canning process developed from scratch — created specifically for species that traditional methods could not handle. It represents a completely new approach to preserving freshwater fish.
The Problem
The world had two
canning technologies.
Both were for sea fish.
The River Fish technology was born when Milovan Trišić set out in 2004 to create canned freshwater fish — and discovered that no such process existed. The Norwegian and Mediterranean canning technologies — used for 99% of the world’s canned fish — were developed specifically for marine species. They simply didn’t work for freshwater fish.
So he spent two years creating a third technology. This is the foundation of the River Fish technology as it exists today. The River Fish technology represents a unique approach to long-term fish preservation — built from scratch, without precedent. The result was the River Fish process — a unique combination of thermal sterilization and thermostatting that produces shelf-stable freshwater fish with edible bones and zero additives. He applied this technology to carp, pike-perch, catfish, and rainbow trout between 2007 and 2016.
“It took two years of round-the-clock work and a lot of investment to finally master it — to create a unique process and technology for canning freshwater fish.”
The Process
River Fish technology – Six steps to perfection
Fresh rainbow trout arrives from the aquacultures of Lake Zaovine — the “Jewel of Tara”, a pristine reservoir on Mount Tara in the Zlatibor District of western Serbia. Every fish undergoes strict quality inspection before entering the production line.
Oncorhynchus mykiss · Lake Zaovine · Mount TaraThe trout is lightly smoked over real beechwood chips — a gentle process that imparts a subtle, authentic smoky note without overpowering the natural flavor of the fish. This is not industrial smoking. It is an artisanal step.
Real beechwood chips · Mild cold smokeThe smoked trout cutlets are placed in BPA-free cans and covered with premium sunflower oil and a precise amount of sea salt. Nothing else is added. No stabilizers, no flavor enhancers, no colorings.
3 ingredients only · Zero additivesThe sealed cans undergo complete thermal sterilization at 120°C for 20 minutes. This critical step destroys all microorganisms, softens the bones to fully edible, and creates the hermetically stable environment that allows the product to remain stable and develop its character over time.
120°C · 20 minutes · Complete sterilizationA unique step in the River Fish process — the sealed cans are held at a controlled temperature for 21 days. This proprietary thermostatting phase ensures the hermetic environment is stable and that the flavors begin their long, slow maturation.
21 days · Controlled temperature · Unique to River FishThe October 2016 series was stored undisturbed for ten years. Like a fine Bordeaux, the flavors developed — deepened, softened, layered. When opened in 2026, the result was richer and more complex than a freshly produced can. A genuine vintage.
Vintage 2016 · 10 years aged · MillésimeHistorical proof
The science of long-term shelf life
“At the London World Exhibition, a 38-year-old Appert can was opened to prove that its contents were still perfectly edible.”
Nicolas Appert invented the canning process in 1804. The principle has not changed: complete thermal sterilization in a hermetically sealed container creates a stable internal environment in which microbial activity is eliminated. This is what defines the River Fish technology — a process built specifically for freshwater species that had no established method before 2004. Properly stored, such products remain stable over extended periods of time. The “best before” date printed on modern cans is a legal requirement — not a scientific limit. For Last Catch 2016, that date was October 2021. The science, however, is on our side.
Why it matters
What makes the River Fish technology unique
River Fish was the first — and remains the only — technology specifically developed for canning freshwater fish. Applied to carp, pike-perch, catfish, and trout between 2007 and 2016. The inventor and the technology still exist today.
The sterilization process softens the bones completely. You can eat the entire can without removing a single bone — a breakthrough for freshwater fish, which is notoriously bony.
No stabilizers, no preservatives, no flavor enhancers, no colors. Three ingredients only. The technology makes additives unnecessary — the sterilization does all the preservation work.
Preservation Principle
How sterilization works
Thermal sterilization combined with hermetic sealing creates a stable internal environment in which microbial activity is eliminated.
Under these conditions, properly stored products remain stable over extended periods of time.
Experience the River Fish technology
that changed everything
6,000 cans. The last series ever made. Secure yours today. Explore Last Catch 2016 — the only product made with this technology.
Secure Last Catch 2016 · €45