It is intended to provide novel fermented fish meat foods having a texture comparable to cattle meat products by imparting characteristic taste and flavor to starting fish meat materials by lactic acid fermentation. A process for producing a processed fish product characterized by using a lactic acid bacterium capable of effecting fermentation at 10°C or below and having halotolerant and antibacterial properties in a treatment of the fermentation of fish. The lactic acid bacterium capable of effecting fermentation at 10°C or below and having halotolerant and antibacterial properties is a lactic acid bacterium selected from among those belonging to the genera <i>Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus, Lactococcus</i> and <i>Pediococcus</i>. The lactic acid bacterium belonging to the genus <i>Lactobacillus </i>is one belonging to <i>Lactobacillus sake</i>, preferably <i>Lactobacillus sake D−1001</i> (FERM No.11708). A process for producing a processed fish product which comprises fermenting a fish material at 10°C or below followed by smoking and drying. Processed fish products obtained by the above process.
