Quality Of Water And Ice Use In The Sri Lanka Fisheries Sector

Quality of water and ice use in the Sri Lanka fisheries sector Viggo Marteinsson1, Hrolfur Sigurosson1, B.K.K.K.Jinadasa2, E.M.R.K.B. Edirisinghe2 1

Icelandic International Development Agency, Sri Lanka 2

Post Harvest Technology Division, NARA, Sri Lanka Key words: Water for ice, fisheries industry

Abstract The status of water quality used for ice production and processing of fishery products was investigated. Samples were collected twice during two years period, from ice, fish, sea water and different sources of freshwater in 13 harbours located around the coast of Sri Lanka. A complete database with detailed sampling information was constructed. Microbiological, physical and chemical results were recorded into the database for observation and interpretation. Significant increase in bacterial counts and in compounds associated with seafood spoilage was observed along the handling chain of fish, from catch to market. None of the 24 seawater samples from harbor fulfilled Sri Lanka microbiological standards and two of the samples contained Salmonella bacteria. All except one harbor could provide freshwater to certain extent and the water was charged by liter. Swab samples from deck and fish hold showed high numbers of bacteria which suggest low hygienic on board the fishing boats. Freshwater originated from local dug and tube wells in harbours did not fulfilled microbiological standards for portable water whereas about half (45.5%) of the 9 harbours contained municipal tap water that were adequate. Similar observation was found within separate water sources used for ice processing plants. Water coming from dug and tube wells showed lower quality than municipal tap water especially dug well water. Only 9%, 30% and 53% of the samples fulfilled microbiological standards respectively. The quality of the water used for the ice production decreased intensively along the chain of ice production. The bacterial and E. Coli counts increase significantly when different water sources were mixed together before the freezing procedure. After freezing, the ice contamination increased enormously by pool water treatment which is used to loose the block ice from cans. The pool water was heavily contaminated and showed always high number of E. coli. Only one pool water sample out 25 was adequate for microbiological standards in Sri Lanka. Only 10% of all ice samples fulfilled the Sri Lanka microbiological standards for portable water which decreased down to 0% due to contamination during transport of the ice. Only ice used by fish processing plants that export fish out of Sri Lanka fulfilled in general the microbiological standards. The results of this study show clearly that the fish contaminated in many ways during the fish handling and the contamination was increased significantly by washing the fish in harbor

seawater. The time between harvesting and proper on-boat icing is crucial to keep spoiling bacteria at low number and to decrease their activity. To reduce the post harvest loses of fishery products we propose several immediate actions to guide that owner of ice processing factories to produce ice of better quality. We also suggest some actions in order to approve the fish quality along the handling chain of fish.