AFRICAN 
STANDARD  CD-ARS  
1132-1 
Edition 2023 
 
 Reference No. CD-ARS 1132-1:2023(E) 
ICS 67.120.30  
 
 
© ARSO 20 22 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Test methods for fish and fishery products — Part 1 : Collection , 
storage  and transportation  of samples for analysis  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 CD-ARS 1132 -1:2023 
ii © ARSO 2022 — All rights reserved   
Table of contents  
 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  1 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  1 
3 Terms and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  1 
4 Sampling plans  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............................  2 
5 Sample size  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 2 
6 Laboratory app aratus  ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  2 
7 Media and reagents  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........................  2 
8 Fishery products  ................................ ................................ ................................ .............................  3 
9 Raw shellfish (molluscs)  ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  3 
10 Breading and batter  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........................  4 
11 Canned fish  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 4 
Bibliography  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  5 
 
  CD-ARS 1 132-1:2023 
iii © ARSO 2022 — All rights reserved  
 Foreword  
 
The African Organization for Standardization (ARS O) is an African intergovernmental organization 
established by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the Organization of 
African Unity (AU)  in 1977 . One of the fundamental mandates of ARSO is to develop and harmoniz e 
African Standard s (ARS) for the purpose of enhancing Africa’s internal trading capacity, increase 
Africa’s product and service competitiveness globally and uplift the welfare of African communities.  The 
work of preparing African  Standards is normally carried out through ARSO  technical committees. Each 
Member State  interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been established has the 
right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, Regional Economic Communities 
(RECs), governmental and non -governmental  organizations , in liaison with ARSO , also take part in the 
work.  
 
ARSO  Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.  
 
The main task of technical committees  is to prepare ARSO  Standards. Draft ARSO  Standards adopted 
by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an ARSO  
Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.  
 
Attention is dr awn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of 
patent rights. ARSO  shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.  
 
This African Standard was prepared by ARSO/TC 03, Fish, fisheries and aquaculture . 
 
 
 
 
 
© African Organisation for Standardisation  2023 — All rights reserved* 
 
ARSO Central Secretariat  
International House 3rd Floor  
P. O. Box 57363 — 00200 City Square  
NAIROBI, KENYA  
 
Tel. +254 -20-2224561, +254 -20-3311641, +254 -20-3311608  
 
E-mail: arso@arso -oran.org  
Web: www.arso -oran.org  
  
 
* © 2023 ARSO — All rights of exploitation reserved worldwide for African Member States’ NSBs.  CD-ARS 1132 -1:2023 
iv © ARSO 2022 — All rights reserved   
Copyright notice  
 
This ARSO document is copyright -protected by ARSO. While the reproduction of this document 
by participants in the ARSO standards development process is permitted without prior permission 
from ARSO, n either this document nor any extract from it may be reproduced, stored or 
transmitted in any form for any other purpose without prior written permission from ARSO.  
 
Requests for permission to reproduce this document for the purpose of selling it should be 
addressed as shown below or to ARSO’s member body in the country of the requester:  
 
 
© African Organisation for Standardisation 20 23 — All rights reserved  
 
ARSO Central Secretariat  
International House 3rd Floor  
P.O. Box 57363 — 00200 City Square  
NAIROBI, KENYA  
 
Tel: +254 -20-2224561, +254 -20-3311641, +254 -20-3311608  
 
E-mail: arso@arso -oran.org  
Web: www.arso -oran.org  
 
Reproduction for sales purposes may be subject to royalty payments or a licensing agreement. 
Violators may be  prosecuted.  
 
 
 
 CD-ARS 1 132-1:2023 
© ARSO 2022 — All rights reserved  1  
Test methods for fish and fishery products — Part 1 : Collection 
,storage  and transportation  of samples for analysis  
 
1 Scope  
 
This draft African standard specifies  the methods  for collection, storage and transportation of fish and 
fishery products for analyses.  
 
2 Normative references  
 
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated 
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced 
document (including any amendments) applies.  
 
CAC/GL 21, Principles for the  establishment and application of microbiological criteria for foods  
 
CAC/RCP 1, Recommended international code of practice — General principles of food hygiene  
 
CAC/GL 30, Principles and guidelines for the conduct of microbiological risk assessment  
 
CAC/GL 31, Guidelines for the sensory evaluation of fish and shellfish in laboratories  
 
CAC/GL 48, Model certificate for fish and fishery products  
 
CAC/RCP 52 Code of practice for fish and fishery products  
 
CAC/GL 53, Guidelines on the judgement  of equivalence of sanitary measures associated with food 
inspection and certification systems  
 
CODEX CXS  1General standard for Labelling of prepacked foods  
 
ISO 7218  Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — General requirements and guidance for 
microbiological examinations  
 
ISO 6887 -3 Microbiology of the food chain — Preparation of test samples, initial suspension and 
decimal dilutions for microbiological examination — Part 3: Specific rules for the preparation of fish and 
fishery products  
 
 
3 Terms and definitions  
 
For the purpose of this standard the following definition s apply  
 
3.1 
lot  
defined amount of material produced  from fish and  fishery products  with uniform  character and quality .  
 
3.2 
sample  
a representative portion of a lot  
 
3.3 
sample unit  
one of a number of individual containers which make up a  lot. 
 
3.4 
analytical unit  
AFRICAN STANDARD  CD-ARS 1132 -1:2023 
2 © ARSO 2022 — All rights reserved  amount withdrawn from the sample unit for analysis.  Unless otherwise specified, it will be 100 g.  
 
 
4 Sampling plans  
 
An attribute sampling plan or a variable sampling plan may be used to estimate  a representative sample 
of  lot to established  different biochemical and   microbiological  tests.  Attribute plans  are based on the 
presence or absence of a specific characteristic.  They can be further subdivided into either two or three 
class plans. ; putting in consideration aseptic sampling. . 
 
Variable sampling plans are based on the measurement of some continuous data and use of these 
plans requires knowledge of frequency and dist ribution. These plans are used  also in the evaluation of 
shellfish growing waters and the performance of depuration plants.  
 
 
5 Sample size  
 
Sampling should be representative of the lot. Five samples  units per lot will be drawn randomly for 
analysis unless otherwise specified.  
 
6  Transportation  
 
Transportation must be in refrigerated and aseptic condition.  The mode of transportation of the samples 
to the laboratory shall ensure that they are kept under conditions which will minimise any alteration 
whether chemical or physical. Samples are to be delivered to the laboratory promptly with the original 
storage conditions maintained as nearly as possible.  
 
Transportation of samples shall be in acco rdance ISO 6887 -3 and ISO 7218  
 
 
7 Laboratory apparatus  
 
(a) Sterile screw -cap or ground glass stopped bottles, or autoclavable, non -toxic plastic bottles, with 
or without added thiosulfate.  
 
(b) Felt pen.  
 
(c) Glass -marking crayon.  
 
(d) Sterile, wide mouth screw -cap jars — glass or autoclavable, non -toxic plastic.  
 
(e) Long forceps stainless steel, or of noncorrodible, non -toxic material.  
 
(f) Sterile plastic bags.   
 
(g) Depth water sampler.  
 
(h) Insulated containers.  
 
(i) Ice or dry ice.  
 
(k) scalpel  and scissors  
 
 
8 Media and reagents  
 
Denatured Ethyl Alcohol 95 per cent for flaming instruments, or 70 per cent for general disinfection. 
Alternative disinfectants sterilization. The protective covering may be aluminium foil, rubberised cloth, 
heavy impermeable paper or bottle cover caps. Samples bottles to be used for collecting chlorinated CD-ARS 1 132-1:2023 
© ARSO 2022 — All rights reserved  3 water shall contain 0.1 m l of a 10 per cent solution of sodium thiosulfate prepared with distilled water. 
This is sufficient for a 100 m l water sample. For larger  bottles, add a proportionately larger amount of 
the thiosulfate solution. Add the thiosulfate solution to the bottles before they are sterilized. Use 
sufficient thiosulfate solution to neutralize all chlorine present (5 parts thiosulfate will neutralize 1  part 
chlorine).  
 
In order to obtain a representative sample from a tap, open the tap fully and allow to run for 2 or 3 
minutes, or a sufficient time to permit clearing of the service line. Remove the stopper or cap of the 
sample bottle and hold by the pro tective covering.  Portable flame can be used  to sterilise the tap  to 
ensure that aseptic condition is achieved . After the sample is drawn, replace the stopper or cap in such 
a way that the protective covering remains in place.  When a still body of water  is to be sampled, remove 
the cap from the bottle as already outlined, hold the bottle near the base and plunge neck downward 
below the surface to a depth of about 30 cm ,t then tilt with the neck pointed slightly upward . and during  
filling, push the bottle  horizontally forward in a direction away from the hand to avoid contamination. If 
any current exists, direct the mouth of the bottle against the current. When applicable, use a depth 
sampler. The more popular devices utilize the sample bottle and are desi gned so that, upon reaching 
the desired depth, the stopper may be raised to fill the bottle. Such devices are useful to depths of 10 
to 20 metres. Beyond that depth, hydrostatic pressure makes it impossible to remove the stopper. When 
such samplers are not  suitable, the capillary tube water sampler in general use for oceanographic work 
may be used.  
 
The number of water samples to be taken from any one source may be left to the discretion of the 
laboratory concerned, but keep in mind that sampling must be su fficient to detect contamination under 
all conditions that might influence the quality of the water. These would include current, tides, wind 
action, precipitation, landwash, temperature and salinity gradients. Whenever possible, start the 
bacteriological examination of water samples immediately after collection. When this is not feasible, 
sample bottles must be held at temperatures below 5 °C until analysed. The holding time should not 
exceed 6 h for impure waters and for all sea water samples, and should not exceed 24 h in any case. 
Should this time limit be exceeded, record actual time between sampling and analysis.  
 
During sampling, allow for sufficient headspace in the bottles to permit adequate mixing of the sample 
by shaking.  
 
Analysis of water samples can be initiated in the field.  Samples should be inoculated into screw cap 
fermentation tubes of Lauryl Tryptose Broth (LTB) or lactose broth. The screw cap tubes are required 
to prevent sample spills during transportation to the  laboratory where they will be incubated at 35 °C. 
The portable membrane filtration kit, can also be used for on -site analysis. Samples should be analysed 
in the laboratory within 72 h of sampling.  
 
9 Fishery products  
 
Take samples at the end of the proces sing line, i.e ., the point beyond which no further handling of the 
product takes place. Take samples as packaged by the processor or in new polyethylene bags.  
Samples may be transferred to the bags by the operators who normally handle the fish at the end of 
the line. Frozen samples may consist of factory produced packages, or of portions removed aseptically 
from such packages, and must be kept frozen. Fresh samples must be adequately refrigerated until 
analysed. Analysis of unfrozen fillets should take pla ce within 24 h of sampling, otherwise report the 
time of sampling and the time of  analysis. . Reports must state whether or not the samples analysed 
have been frozen.  
 
Inspections shall consist of 5 end -of-line samples spaced so as to be representative of the production 
of the plant for that particular run. When special sampling of a plant is being done, the point at which 
samples are to be taken and the numbers of sampl es to be taken will be left to the discretion of the 
competent authority  In principle, however, reported data should be based on a sampling schedule 
comparable in scope to that used in reporting results for end -of-line samples.  
 
Store frozen samples at the  laboratory at a temperature not higher than -20 °C.  The samples may be 
defrosted at room temperature for a period of 3 h or overnight at 5 °C to simplify sample preparation.  
 
10 Raw shellfish (molluscs)  CD-ARS 1132 -1:2023 
4 © ARSO 2022 — All rights reserved   
Samples of shellstock and of shucked unfrozen shel lfish should be examined within 24 h after collection. 
When analysis is unavoidably delayed beyond this point, actual time elapsed between collection and 
analysis must be reported.  
 
Heavy plastic bags (6 mil gauge) are suitable for shellstock. Keep shellst ock samples in refrigerated 
storage but avoid freezing. Do not permit shellstock to come into direct contact with ice.  
 
In general, take 12 -18 shellfish in order to obtain a representative sample and to allow for the selection 
of 10 sound animals suitable for shucking. For most species this sample size will yield approximately 
200 g of meats and shell liquor.  
 
A sterile, wide -mouth jar of suitable capacity with water -tight closure is an acceptable container for 
samples of shucked shellfish taken in shucking  houses. Transfer the shellfish to the samples jar with 
sterile forceps or spoon. Sampling of the final product may be taken in the packing cans or containers. 
Consumer packages are acceptable for examination. Refrigerate samples of shucked shellfish 
immed iately after collection by packing in crushed ice and keep them in ice until examined. The shellfish 
must not come into direct contact with ice.  
 
11 Breading and batter  
 
Transport dry ingredients in sterile wide -mouth screw -cap jars or in polyethylene bags .  These need not 
be refrigerated. Transport batter in sterile jars and keep at 5 °C or lower until analysed.  
12 Canned fish  
 
Randomly select samples from lot(s) following appropriate directives for sample size. Transport the 
sample(s) to the laboratory at ambient temperature. Take special precautions when transporting cans 
that are obviously swollen or under pressure. Place swol len cans in a plastic bag and transport inside 
a box or a cooler. These cans should be examined immediately on arrival at the laboratory. DO NOT 
INCUBATE SWOLLEN CANS. Except for swollen cans, each sample unit must be judged by the 
laboratory as to whether  or not preliminary incubation would be desirable. When cans are suspected of 
being non -sterile due to some apparent defect or because of loss of vacuum, such cans may also be 
opened without prior incubation are acceptable if they leave no toxic residues t hat may be transmitted 
to the sample.  
 
  CD-ARS 1 132-1:2023 
© ARSO 2022 — All rights reserved  5 Bibliography  
 
 
Working Group to identify and acknowledge useful literature used in the preparation of this standard.  
 
 
 CD-ARS 1 132-1:2023 
© ARSO 20 23 — All rights reserved