Quality & Risk Assessment of Whole Fresh Lake Malawi Tilapia (Chambo)

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 stage.