ICS 67.120.30           DMS 117:2018  
Second  edition  
 
 
 
 
DRAFT MALAWI STANDARD  
(SADC HARMONIZED)  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Smoked finfish, smoke -flavoured finfish 
and smoke -dried finfish – Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note: This is a draft standard and it shall neither be used nor  regarded as a Ma lawi standard   
 
 ICS 67.120.30                  DMS 117:2018 
              Second edition  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Smoked finfish, smoke -flavoured finfish 
and smoke -dried finfish – Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Obtainable from the  
Malawi Bureau of Standards  
Moirs Road  
P O Box 946  
BLANTYRE  
 
Tel: +265 1 870 488  
Fax: +265 1 870 756  
E-mail: mbs@mbsmw.org  
Website: www.mbsmw.org  
Price based on 9 page s 
© Copyright reserved   
i 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS  
 
Contents                                                                                                                                                      Page  
 
Foreword  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............................  i 
Technical Committee  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  i 
Notice  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ... i 
Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ . 1 
Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  1 
Terms and d efinitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  2 
Process description  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  3 
Essential  composition and quality factors ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  4 
Food additives  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  5 
Contaminants  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  5 
Hygiene  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............................  6 
Packaging and labeling ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 6 
Methods of sampling and tests  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........................  7 
Defects  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............................  8 
Annex A: Procedure sufficient to kill parasites  ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 9 
 
FOREWORD  
 
This draft standard  is a Southern African Development Community  (SADC)  Harmonized Text (SADCSTAN ) 
covering the requirements and methods of tests for smoked finfish, smoke -flavoured finfish and smoke -dried 
finfish  
  
The harmonization of standards and technical regulations in the SADC  region is an obligation under the 
SADC protocol on Trade which was established under the SADC Treaty to  provide for elimination of tariffs 
and non-tarriff barriers  to trade.  
 
This stand ard is ide ntical to SADC HT 84, Smoked finfish, smoke -flavour ed finfish and smoke dried finfish . 
   
Acknowledgement is made fo r the use of the above standard . 
 
 
TECHNICAL COMMITTEE  
 
This draft standard was prepared by the Technical Committee MBS/TC 39, Fish and fishery products,  and 
the following companies, organizations and institutions were represented:  
 
Malawi Bureau of Standards.  
MALDECO Fisheries  
Malawi College of Fisheries;  
Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development – Department of F isheries;  
Lake Harvest; and  
Lilongwe University for Agriculture and Natural Resources.  
 
 
NOTICE  
 
This standard shall be reviewed every five years, or earlier when it is necessary, in order to keep abreast of 
progress. Comments are welcome and shall be considered when the standard is being reviewed .  
1 
                 DMS 117: 2018 
 
DRAFT MALAWI STANDARD  
 
Smoked finfish, smoke -flavoured fin fish and smoke -
dried fin fish – Specification  
 
1 SCOPE  
 
1.1 This draft standard applies to smoked, smoke -flavoured and smoke -dried finfish prepared from 
fresh, chilled or frozen raw material. It deals with whole finfish, fillets and sliced and similar products thereof. 
The standard applies to finfish, either for di rect consumption, for further processing, or for addition into 
speciality or minced products where finfish constitutes only part of the edible contents.  
 
1.2 It does not apply to finfish treated with carbon monoxide (filtered, “clear” or ‘tasteless’ smoke ), finfish 
packaged in hermetically sealed containers processed to commercial sterility. Speciality or minced products 
as such are not included (e.g. fish -salads).  
 
 
2 NORMATIVE REFERENCES  
 
The following standard  contain s provisions, which through referen ce in this text, constitute pro visions of this 
draft standard.  All standards are subject to revision  and, since any reference to a standard is deemed to be a 
reference to the latest edition of that standard, parties to agreements based on this draft standard  are 
encouraged to take steps to ensure the use of the most recent edition of the standard indicated below. 
Information on current valid national and international standards can be obtained from the Malawi Bureau of 
Standards.  
 
MS 19:  Labelling of prepacked foods – General standard;  
 
MS 21:  Food and food processing units – Code of hygienic conditions;  
 
MS 188: Edible salt – Specification;  
 
MS 214:  Potable water – Specification ; 
 
MS 237:  Food additives – General Standard;  
 
MS 302:  General  standard  for contaminants and toxins in foods  and feed;  
 
MS 790: Code of practice for fish and fishery products;  
 
MS 935:  Principles and guidelines for the establishment and application of microbiological criteria related to 
foods ;  
 
CODEXSTAN  233: Sampling plans  for prepackaged foods (AQL -6.5); 
 
CODEX STAN 244: Standard for salted herring and sprats ;  
 
MS 1241 : Guidelines for the sensory evaluation of fish and shellfish in laboratories ;  
 
CAC/GL 61 : Application of general principles of food hygiene to the control of Listeria monocytogenes in 
ready to eat foods ; 
 
CAC/GL 68: C ode of practice for the reduction of contamination of food with polycyclic aromatic 
hydrocarbons (PAH) from smoking and direct drying processes ; 
 
ISO 4833 : Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
microorganisms – Colony -count technique at 30 degrees;    
2 
 ISO 6579:  Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the detection of Salmonella 
spp.; 
ISO 6888: Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
coagulase -positive staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus and other species) ; 
 
ISO 7251:  Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the detection and 
enumeration of presumptive Escherichia coli – Most probable number technique;  
  
ISO 793 7: Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
Clostridium perfringens – Colony -count technique;  
 
ISO 11290 : Microbiology of the food chain – Horizontal method for the detection and enumeration of Listeria 
monocytogenes and of Listeria spp. ; 
   
ISO 21807:  Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Determination  of water activity;   
 
ISO 21872 : Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal  method for the detection of 
potentially enteropathogenic Vibrio spp.  
 
AOAC, 937.09, 952.08 : Determination of water phase salt ; 
 
AOAC 950.46.A:  Determination of moisture in meat ; 
 
AOAC 977.13 : Determination of histamine ; 
 
AOAC 977.26 : Determination of Clostridium botulinum ; and  
 
AOAC 983.18: D etermination of moisture in meat and meat products - preparation of sample procedure   
 
 
3 TERMS AND DEFINITIONS  
 
For the purpose of this draft standard, the following definitions shall apply:  
 
3.1  
dried salted fish  
salted fish which  have been drie d 
 
3.2  
food grade material  
packaging material, made of substances which are safe and suitable for their intended use and  which will 
not impart any toxic substance or undesirable odour or flavour to the product  
 
3.3  
foreign matter  
any material which  is not of fish origin e.g. sand, stones, metallic chips, plant parts etc  
 
3.4  
fresh whole fish  
fish harvested while alive from culture, immediately cleaned and/or  chilled to preserve freshness  
 
3.5  
veterinary drug  
any substance applied or administered to fish, whether used for therapeutic, prophylactic, or diagnostic 
purposes or for modification of physi ological functions or behavio r 
  
3.6  
lot  
fish from the same origin and harvest  
 
  
3 
 3.7  
sound  
free from physiological  deterioration or adulteration/contamination, that appreciably affects their appearance, 
edibility and the ke eping quality of the dried fish  
 
3.8  
salted fish  
fish that has undergone salt treatment  
 
3.9 
smoke condensates  
are products obtained by controlled thermal degradation of wood in a limited supply of oxygen (pyrolysis), 
subsequent condensation of the resultant smoke vapours, and fractionation of  the resulting liquid products  
 
3.10 
smoke flavours  
are either smoke condensates or artificial flavour blends prepared by mixing chemically -defined substances 
in known amounts or any combinatio n of both (smoke -preparations)  
 
3.11 
smoked finfish  
finfish that has undergone a hot or cold smoking process  
 
3.12 
smoke -flavoured finfish  
finfish that has been treated with smoke flavours, withou t undergoing a smoking process  
 
3.13 
smoke -dried finfish  
finfish that has undergone a combined smoking and drying process and may include a salting process  
 
 
4 PRO CESS  DESCRIPTION  
 
4.1 Smoking is a process of treating fish by exposing it to smoke from smouldering wood or plant 
materials. This process is usually characterized  by an integrated combination of salting, drying, heating and 
smoking steps in a smoking chamber.  
4.2 Smoking by regenerated smoke is a process of treating fish by exposing it to smoke which is 
regenerated by atomizing smoke condensate in a smoking chamber un der the time and temperature 
conditions similar to those for hot or cold smoking.  
 
4.3 Hot smoking  is a process in which fish is smoked at an appropriate combination of temperature and 
time sufficient to cause the complete coagulation of the proteins in the fi sh flesh. Hot smoking is generally 
sufficient to kill parasites, to destroy non -sporulated bacterial pathogens and to injure spores of human 
health concern.  
  
4.4 Cold smoking  is a process of treating fish with smoke using a time/temperature combination that 
will not cause significant coagulation of the proteins in the fish flesh but that will cause some reduction of the 
water activity.  
 
4.5 Salting  is a process of treating fish w ith salt of food grade quality to lower water activity in fish flesh 
and to enhance flavour by any appropriate salting technology (e.g. dry salting, brining, injection salting).  
 
4.6 Drying is a process in which the moisture content in the fish is decreased t o appropriate required 
characteristics under controlled hygienic conditions.  
4.7 Smoke flavouring is a process in which fish or fish preparations are treated with smoke flavour. The 
smoke flavour can be applied by any technology (e.g. dipping, spraying, i njecting, soaking).   
4 
 4.8 Smoke drying is a process in which fish is treated by combined smoking and drying steps to such 
an extent that the final product can be stored and transported without refrigeration and to achieve a water 
activity of 0.75 or less (1 0 % moisture content or less), as necessary to control bacterial pathogens and 
fungal spoilage.  
 
 
5 ESSENTIAL COMPOSITION AND QUALITY FACTORS  
 
5.1  The raw material  
 
Smoked finfish, smoke -flavoured finfish and smoke -dried finfish shall be prepared from sound and 
wholesome finfish, which may be fresh, chilled or frozen, and of a quality to be sold for human consumption 
after appropriate preparation.  
 
5.2  Ingredients  
 
All ingredients used shall be of food grade quality and conform to MS 237.  
 
5.3  Wood or other plant material for generation of smoke  
 
Wood or other plant material used for the generation of smoke or smoke -condensates must not contain toxic 
substances ei ther naturally or through contamination, or after having been treated with chemicals, paint or 
impregnating materials. In addition, wood or other plant material shall be handled i n a way to avoid 
contamination, refer to the CAC/RCP 68 .  
5.4  Decomposition  
 
The products  shall be free from persistent and objectionable odours and flavours characteristic of 
decomposition  
 
5.5 Presentation  
 
Any presentation of the product shall be permitted provided that it meets all requirements of this draft 
standard, and it is adequately described on the label to avoid confusing or misleading the consumer.  
 
5.6  Microbiological criteria  
 
5.6.1  The products shall comply with any microbiological criteria established in accordance with the MS 
935 and the microbi al counts shall be within limits indicated in the Table  1 below .  
 
Table  1 - Microbiological limits  for smoked, smoke -flavoured and smoke -dried finfish  
 
1 2 3 4 
S/No Micro-organisms  Maximum limits  Method of test 
i) Salmonella per 25 g Absent ISO 6579 
ii) E. coli per gram Absent ISO 7251 
iii) Listeria monocytogenes Absent ISO 11290 Part 1 
iv) Staphylococcus aureus  cfu per gram 102 ISO 6888 
v) Clostridium perfringens per gram Absent ISO 7937 
vi) Vibrio Spp per gram  Absent ISO 21872 
vii) Total viable count per gram 105 ISO 4833 
 
5.6.2  Toxins of Clostridium botulinum shall not be allowed in smoked finfish, smoke -flavoured finfish and 
smoke -dried finfish products. The formation of Clostridium botulinum toxin can be controlled through an 
application of a combination of science -based options such as packaging type, storage temperature, and 
water activity, e.g. by use of salt in the water phase.   
  
5 
 Note:  These products shall require evisceration, either before or after processing, in such a way as to minimi se the risk of Clostridium 
botulinum .  
 
5.7 Final product  
 
Products shall  meet the requirements of draft s tandard when lots examined in accordance with section 11, 
comply with the provisions set out in s ection 10. Products shall be examined by the methods given in section 
10.  
 
 
6 FOOD ADDITIVES  
 
6.1 For s moked finfish and smoke flavoured finfish food additives to be used shall comply with limits as 
indicated in Table 1 . 
 
Table 1: Food additives for smoked and smoke -flavoured finfish  
 
1 2 3 4 5 
S/No  Functional class  Name of additive  INS Number  Maximum level  
1 Acidity regulators  Acetic acid  260 GMP  
Citric acid  330 GMP  
Sodium lactate  325 GMP  
Tartaric acid, L(+)  334 GMP  
Lactic acid, L -, D-, 
DL- 270 GMP  
Potassium lactate  326 GMP  
Calcium lactate  327 GMP  
2 Anti-oxidants   
Sodium ascorbate  301 GMP  
 
Sodium erythorbate 
(sodium 
isoascorbate)  316 GMP  
 
Sodium lactate  325 GMP  
3 Packaging gases  Carbon dioxide  290 GMP  
Nitrogen  941 GMP  
4 Preservatives (for reduced 
oxygen packaged products 
only Sorbate as sorbic 
acid 200 - 203 2000 mg/Kg  
Benzoates as 
benzoic acid  210 - 213 200 mg/Kg  
 
6.2 No colour enhancing substance , coluorants, shall be used in any of the product categories . 
 
6.3 For Smoke dried finfish , no additives are permitted in smoke -dried finfish.  
 
 
7 CONTAMINANTS  
 
7.1  The products covered by this draft s tandard shall comply with the maximum levels of the MS 302.  
  
6 
 7.2  Smoking of fish should be done in a manner that minimizes  the formation of polycyclic aromatic 
hydrocarbons (PAH). This can be achieved by following the CAC/RCP 68 .  
 
7.3  The product shall not contain histamine than exceeds 20 mg/100g of fish flesh in any sample unit 
tested. This applies only to susceptible spe cies (e.g. Scombridae, Clupeidae, Engraulidae, Coryphaenidae, 
Pomatomidae, Scomberesocidae ). 
 
 
8 HYGIENE  
 
8.1  The products covered by the provisions of this draft s tandard shall be prepared and handled in 
accordance with the appropriate sections of the MS 21 and MS  790. 
  
8.2  Products covered by this draft s tandard shall not contain living parasites and particular attention 
needs to be paid to cold smoked or smoke -flavoured products, which should be frozen before or after 
smoking if a parasite hazard is  present (see Annex 1).  
 
8.3 Viability of nematodes, cestodes and trematodes shall be examined according to clauses  10.9 
and/or 10.10. 
 
8.4 Other substances  
 
The products shall not contain any other substance in amounts, which may present a hazard to health and 
the final product shall be free from any foreign material that poses a threat to human health.  
 
 
9 PACKAGING AND LABELLING  
 
9.1 Packaging  
 
Fish shall be packaged in food grade containers.  
 
9.2 Labelling  
 
In addition to the requirements in MS 19 , the following specific labelling requirements shall apply and shall  
be legibly and indelibly marked:  
 
9.2.1  Name of the food  
 
The name of the food must be “smoked X” if treated by the processes described in paragraph 2.1, “smoke 
flavoured X” if treated by the processes described in paragraph 2.2,”smoke -dried X” if treated by the 
processes described in paragraph 2.3, X being the common or usual name of the species of fish so as not to 
mislead the consumer.  
 
9.2.2  Additiona l labelling  
 
The use of regenerated smoke must be indicated on the label.  
9.3  Storage and handling instructions  
 
The label shall declare storage and handling instructions appropriate for the product.  
9.4  Labelling of non -retail containers  
 
9.4.1  Informa tion specified above shall be given either on the container or in accompanying documents, 
except that the name of the product, lot identification, and the name and address of the manufacturer or 
packer, as well as storage instructions, shall appear on the container.  
 
9.4.2  However, the name and address of the manufacturer or packer may be replaced by an identification 
mark (e.g. plant approval number) provided that such a mark is clearly identifiable with the accompanying 
documents.  
 
  
7 
 10 METHODS OF SAMPLING AND TESTS  
 
10.1  Sampling  
 
The sampling plan shall be done in accordance with CODEX STAN 233.  
10.2  Sensory and physical examination  
 
Samples taken for sensory and physical examination shall be assessed by persons trained in such 
examination and in accordance with procedures elaborated in MS 1241.  
 
10.3  Determination of histamine  
 
Histamine shall be determined in accordance with AOAC 97 7.13 
 
10.4  Determination of net weight  
 
The net weight is determined as the weight of the product, exclusive of packaging material, interleaving 
material, etc.  
 
10.5  Temperatures for thawing  
 
Frozen samples of final products shall be thawed at refrigeration temperatures to maintain quality and 
microbiological criteria for products in which growth of L. monocytogenes can occur are based on the use of 
ISO 11290 -1 method. Other methods that provid e equivalent sensitivity, reproducibility, and reliability can be 
employed if they have been appropriately validated (e.g. based on ISO 16140).  
 
10.6  Determination of Clostridium botulinum  
 
AOAC 977.26 for the detection of C. botulinum and its toxins in foods or other scientifically equivalent 
validated method. This method is not routinely performed on the product, but may be used when there is a 
suspicion of the presence of toxins.  
10.7  Determination of water phase salt  
 
The percentage salt (NaCl) in the aqueous phase can be determined by the following calculation:  
 
% 𝒔𝒂𝒍𝒕  𝒂𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒐𝒖𝒔  𝒑𝒉𝒂𝒔𝒆 =% 𝒔𝒂𝒍𝒕 ×𝟏𝟎𝟎
% 𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓 + % 𝒔𝒂𝒍𝒕 
where  
 
% Moisture  (water ) is determined by AOAC, 952.08, Sec. 35.1.13, Solids (Total) in Seafood ; and  
 
% Salt  by AOAC, 937.09, Sec. 35.1.18, Salt (Sodium Chloride) in Seafood . 
 
10.8  Determination of water activity  
 
Water activity is determined by ISO 21807:2004  
 
10.9  Determination of the viability of parasites  
 
Methods used for extracting and testing the viabil ity of parasites could include the method set out in Annex I 
for nematodes in CODEX STAN 244.  
 
10.10  Determination of visible parasites  
 
The entire sample unit is examined for the presence of parasites non -destructively by placing appropriate 
portions of the thawed (if necessary) sample unit on a 5 mm thick acryl sheet with 45  % translucency and 
candled with a light source giving 1500 lux 30 cm above the sheet.  
 
 
11 DEFECTS  
 
A sample unit shall be considered as defective when it exhibits any of the propert ies defined below.   
8 
 11.1  Foreign matter  
 
The presence in the sample unit of any matter, which has not been derived from the fish, does not pose a 
threat to human health, and is readily recognised without magnification or is present at a level determined by  
any method including magnification that indicates non -compliance with good manufacturing practice.  
11.2  Parasites  
 
The presence of two or more visible parasites per kg of the sample unit detected by the method described in 
clause 10.10 with a capsular di ameter greater than 3 mm or a parasite not encapsulated and greater than 10 
mm in length.  
11.3  Odour, flavour and texture  
 
A sample unit affected by persistent and distinct objectionable odours, flavours, or textures indicative of 
decomposition, or rancid ity, burning sensation or other sensorial impressions not characteristic of the 
product.  
11.4  Lot acceptance  
 
A lot will be considered as meeting the requirements of this standard when:  
 
11.4.1  The total number of defects as classified according to section 10 does not exceed the acceptance 
number of an appropriate sampling plan (AQL -6.5) in the CAC/GL 50 ; 
  
11.4.2  The average net weight of all sample units is not less than the declared weight, provided there is no 
unreasonable shortage in any container and no individual container is less than 95  % of the declared weight; 
and 
 
11.4.3  The essential composition and quality factors, food additives, contaminants, hygiene and handling 
and labelling requirements of Sections 3, 4, 5, 6  and 7 are met. F or histamine no sample unit shall exceed              
20 mg/100 g of fish flesh as per the sampling plan chosen, r efer to section 10.3.   
9 
 ANNEX  
              (Normative)  
 
PROCEDURES SUFFICIENT TO KILL PARASITES  
 
An acceptable method shall be used to kill parasites.  
 
Where freezing is r equired to kill parasites (i.e.  cold smoked fish and smoke -flavoured fish) the fish 
must be frozen either before or after processing to a temperature time combination sufficient to kill 
the living parasites.  
 
Examples of free zing processes that may be sufficient to kill some or all parasites are:  
 
 Freezing at -20 ºC at the thermal centre of the product for 24 hours (for Anisakis species and 
Pseudoterranova decipiens only)1;  
 Freezing at -35 ºC at the thermal centre of the produ ct for 15 hours (all parasites);  
 Freezing at -20 ºC at the thermal centre of the product for 168 hours (7 days) (all parasites).  
 
  
 
 
 
ICS 6 7.120.30                 DMS 117:2017 
  Second  edition  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
THE MALAWI BUREAU OF STANDARDS              CERTIFICATION MARK SCHEME  
The Malawi Bureau of Standards is the 
standardizing body in Malawi under the aegis 
of the Ministry of Industry and Trade .  Set up 
in 1972 by the Malawi Bureau of Standards 
Act (Cap: 51:02), the Bureau is a parastatal 
body whose activities aim at formulating and 
promoting the general adoption of standards 
relating to structures, commodities, materials, 
practices, operations and from time to time 
revise, alter and amend the same to 
incorporate advanced technology.  To bring the advantages of standardization 
within the reach of the common consumer, the 
Bureau operates a Certification Mark Scheme. 
Under this scheme, manufacturers who 
produce goods that conform to national 
standards are granted permits to use the 
Bureau’s “Mark of Quality” depicted below on 
their products.  This Mark gives confidence to 
the consume r of the commodity’s reliability