ICS 67.120.30           DMS 1435 :2018 
First  edition  
 
 
 
 
DRAFT MALAWI STANDARD  
(SADC HARMONIZED)  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Dried fresh water small pelagics  – 
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 1435 :2018 
        First edition  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Dried fresh water small pelagics  – 
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 3 page s 
© Copyright reserved   
i 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS  
 
Contents                                                                                                                                                      Page  
 
Foreword  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............................  i 
Technical Committee  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  i 
Notice  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ... i 
Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ . 1 
Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  1 
Definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........................  2 
Essential  composition and quality factors ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  2 
Contaminants  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  3 
Hygiene  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............................  3 
Packaging and labeling ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 3 
 
FOREWORD  
 
This draft standard  is a Southern African Development Community  (SADC)  Harmonized Text (SADCSTAN ) 
covering the requirements and methods of tests for dried fresh water small pelagic.  
  
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 
abd non -tarriff  barriers to trade.  
 
This standard is ide ntical to SADC HT 79 , Dried fresh water small pelagic  – Specification.  
   
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 Fisheries;  
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 co nsidered when the standard is being reviewed .  
1 
               DMS 1435 : 2018 
 
DRAFT MALAWI STANDARD  
 
Dried fresh water small pelagics  – Specification  
 
1 SCOPE  
 
This draft s tandard specifies the requirements and methods of test for dried  Engraulicypris sardella, 
Rastrineobola argentea, Rastrineobola sardella, Stolothrissa  tanganicae , Limnothrissa miodon , and 
Poecilothrissa moeruensis  and Engraulicypris bangweuluen sis.  
 
Note : This includes common names used such as Kapenta,Chisense, Usipa, Matemba Omena/Dagaa/mukene /Ndagala and isambaza).  
 
 
2 NORMATIVE REFERENCES  
 
The following standard  contain s provisions, which through reference 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 214:  Potable water – Specification ; 
 
MS 302:  General standard for contaminants and toxins in foods and feed;  
 
MS 790: Code of hygienic practice for fish and fishery products;  
 
ISO 4832:  Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
coliforms – Colony -count technique;  
 
ISO 4833 : Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
microorganisms – Colony -count technique at 30 degrees;   
 
ISO 6579:  Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the detection of Salmonella 
spp.;  
 
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 13720:  Meat and meat products – Enumeration of Pseudomonas spp .; 
 
ISO 16050:  Foodstuffs – Determination of aflatoxin B1, and the total content of aflatoxin B1, B2, G1 and G2 
in cereals, nuts and derived products – High performance liquid  chromatographic method ; 
 
ISO 21567:  Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal  method for the detection of Shigella  
spp.; 
 
ISO/TS 21872 -1: Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal  method for the detection of 
potentially enteropathogenic Vibrio spp. – Part 1: Detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio cholera;   
  
2 
 ISO/TS 21872 -2: Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal  method for the detection of 
potentially e nteropathogenic Vibrio spp. – Part 2: Detection of species other than Vibrio parahaemolyticus 
and Vibrio cholera ; and  
 
AOAC:  Association of Analytical Chemist  
 
 
3 DEFINITIONS  
 
For the purpose of this draft standard , the following definitions shall apply:  
 
3.1   
dried small pelagics  
whole product presented as a dried fresh water fish which has not been gutted beheaded or split and 
subsequently washed and dried  
 
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   
sound  
free from  physiological  deterioration  or  adulteration/contamination, that  appreciably affects  their 
appearance, edibility and the keepi ng quality of the dried fish  
 
 
4.  ESSENTIAL COMPOSITION AND QUALITY FACTORS  
4.1  Fish shall be prepared from sound fish of the designated species, which is of an acceptable quality 
and fit to be sold fresh dry for human consumption.  
4.2 The product shall be free from objectionable extraneous matter.  
4.3  The product shall be free  from pest infestation . 
4.4 The dried fish shall contain not more than 10 µg/Kg  aflatoxin of which not more than 5 µg may be 
aflatoxin B1 when tested in accordance with ISO 16050.  
 
4.5  The product shall be free from parasites which represent a hazard to health.  
 
4.6  The skin of the dried fish shall have the characteristic silvery colour and shall not show any evidence 
of halophilic mould “dun” nor visible evidence of red, halophilic bacteria (pink).  
4.7  The product shall have the characteristic dried fish odour.  It shall be free from any indication of 
spoilage.  
4.8  The dried fish shall have a minimum shelf -life of six months .  
4.9 The dried fish shall have a moisture content of between 5 to 7 %, when tested according to AOAC 
950.46.B (Air drying (a) ).  
4.10  The dried fish shall be presented 95 % whole and fish shall not show discolouration.  
 
4.11 The product  shall comply with the microbiological limits given in Table 1.   
 
  
3 
 Table 1 – Microbiological limits  for dried fresh water small pelagics  
 
1 2 3 4 
S/No.  Type of microorganism  Maximum limit  Method of test  
(i)  Pseudomonas  species per g  Absent  ISO 13720  
(ii)  Salmonella  in 25 g  Absent  ISO 6579  
(iii)  E. coli  per g  Absent  ISO 7251  
(iv)  Shigella  per g  Absent  ISO 21567  
(v)  Coliforms  g (per 100 g)  Absent  ISO 4832  
(vi)  Staphylococcus aureus  per 10 g  2 × 103/g ISO 6888  
(vii)  Total viable count  105/g ISO 4833  
(viii)  Vibrio cholerae  Absent  ISO/TS 21872  
(ix)  Clostridium perfrigens  Absent  ISO 7937  
 
 
5.  HYGIENE  
 
5.1  The product covered by the provisions of this draft standard shall be prepared and handled in 
accordance with MS 21  and MS 790.  
 
5.2  Water used for washing the fish shall comply with MS 214.   
 
 
6.  CONTAMINANTS  
 
The product shall comply with the contaminant limits specified in MS 302.  
 
 
8.  PACKAGING AND LABELLING  
 
8.1  Packaging  
 
8.1.1  Any container for dried fish shall be food grade, clean, dry and shall protect the organoleptic and 
other quality characteristics of the product during storage and transport.  
 
8.1.2  The package shall not pass on to the product any foreign odour, flavour,  and colour or other foreign 
matter.  
 
8.2  Labelling  
 
The containers shall be labelled in accordance with MS 19  and shall include the following:  
8.2.1  Name of the product;  
8.2.2  Name and physic al address of processor/packer;  
8.2.3  Net weight in grams or kilograms;  
8.2.4  Date of processing;  
8.2.5  Batch number ; 
8.2.6  Best before date or expiry date;  
8.2.7  Storage conditions; and  
8.2.8  Country of origin or 'Product of’ and the exact geographical location of the harvest .  
 
  
 
 
 
ICS 6 7.120.30                DMS 1435 :2018 
            First 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 activit ies 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 grante d 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