IN a bid to minimise incidents of rejections of Nigerian fish products abroad, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC, has commenced a proper packaging regime for fish exports.
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Speaking at a sensitization workshop on ‘Best Practices for Fish Processing,” Managing Director of the Council, Mr. Segun Awolowo, said that the need to improve the packaging of Nigerian smoked fish to acceptable international standard cannot be over-emphasized.
Similarly, an assistant Director in the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mrs. Ikenua Ogechukwu, noted that the agency was interested in the health status of fishes packaged in various ways for commercial purposes, in line with its mission to safeguard public health.
Ogechukwu whose paper was titled, “The role of NAFDAC in fish export,” said packaging has become indispensable in today’s society.
She stated: “Fish and other sea foods are extremely perishable, and are susceptible to both chemical and microbial spoilage during storage and processing. Whatever method is used in packaging fish, the effect of the concept on the final product in a microbiological and non-microbiological status of the fish is a thing of concern.
“Packaging method chosen has effect on the microbiological safety, sensorial quality, oxidative rancidity and microbiological spoilage of fish products.”
She explained that, NAFDAC in fulfilling its mandate undertakes inspection of facilities where fish products are packaged to check for good hygienic practice, and to ensure that critical control points are adequately controlled.
She said the agency also conducted laboratory testing by drawing samples which were later subjected to chemical and microbiological analyses to ensure fitness and wholesomeness.
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