Abstract:
Fish is a major source of dietary animal protein to most people in Malawi. One of the
most widely accepted and consumed fish species in the country is the Lake Malawi
Tilapia locally known as “Chambo”. Fresh fish are transported from the lake to distant
markets preserved in ice and often in poor storage conditions, and sold in the open due to
lack of storage facilities such as refrigerators and cold rooms. As a highly perishable
commodity, safety and quality awareness is of paramount importance to fish processors
but also safeguarding consumer health. This work assessed quality of fresh Chambo by
estimating its shelf life when stored in ice then assessing its quality in local and super
markets in Malawi. Findings suggest that Chambo has a longer shelf life stored in ice
(more than 14 days). This is advantageous to small scale fresh fish sellers and processors
especially from rural areas in Malawi who solely depend on ice as the only affordable
way of preserving fresh fish. Quality of fresh Chambo from super markets was no better
than fish sold at local markets underpinning the importance of quality and safety checks
at every stag
