EFFECT OF ARTISANAL (SMALL-SCALE) PROCESSING ON THE QUALITY ATTRIBUTES OF Rastrineobola argentea (SILVER CYPRINID)

Silver cyprinid (Rastrineobola argentea), a highly nutritious fish in Lake Victoria, can contribute towards the alleviation of food insecurity among vulnerable groups in Uganda. However, due to its high fat, protein, and moisture content it rapidly spoils and therefore preservation methods (salting and drying) are used at the landing sites to extend shelf-life and stability. This study was carried out to determine the difference in quality attributes (microbial load and lipid degradation) and proximate composition (protein and fat) between fish dried on raised racks and fish dried on nets spread over the ground. 31 samples (500 g each) from artisanal (small-scale) processors in three landing sites on Lake Victoria were collected at the end of drying in March and April of 2016. The moisture content (MC) and the yeasts and molds (Y&M) count were higher in the fish dried on nets spread over the ground than in the fish dried on raised racks. (Nets on ground MC 23.2 (21.2, 26.7), Y&M 4.8 (4.5, 5.4) and raised racks MC 22.1 (13.8, 25.9), Y&M 4.4 (3.4, 5.2) presented as Median (Q1, Q3) P < 0.05). Drying of silver cyprinid on raised racks therefore produced fish of a higher quality than fish that is dried on a nets on ground.