ICS 67.120.30           DMS 1436 :2018  
First  edition  
 
 
 
 
DRAFT MALAWI STANDARD  
(SADC HARMONIZED)  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Crackers from marine and fresh fish, 
crustacean and molluscan shellfish  – 
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 1436 :2018 
                   First  edition  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Crackers from marine and fresh fish, 
crustacean and molluscan shellfish  – 
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 6 page s 
© Copyright reserved   
i 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS  
 
Contents                                                                                                                                                      Page  
 
Foreword  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............................  i 
Technical Committee  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  i 
Notice  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ... i 
Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ . 1 
Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  1 
Definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........................  1 
Essential  composition and quality factors ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  2 
Food additives  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  4 
Contaminants  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  4 
Hygiene  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............................  4 
Packaging and labeling ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 4 
Methods of sampling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  5 
Annex A: Determination of moisture content  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 6 
 
 
FOREWORD  
 
This draft standard  is a Southern African Development Community  (SADC)  Harmonized Text covering the 
requirements and methods of tests for crackers from marine and fresh fish, crustaceans and molluscan 
shellfish . 
  
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 standard is ide ntical to SADC HT 87, Crackers from marine and fresh fish, crustaceans and molluscan 
shellfish  – 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 
Lilong we 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 1436 : 2018 
 
DRAFT MALAWI STANDARD  
 
Crackers from marine and fresh fish, crustaceans and 
molluscan shellfish  - Specification  
 
1 SCOPE  
 
This draft standard specifies requirements crackers, biscuits and other similar snacks prepared from marine 
and freshwater fish, crustacean and molluscan shellfish.  
 
 
2 NORMATIVE REFERENCES  
 
The following standard s contain 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, partie s 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;  
 
CAC/GL 50 : General guideline on sampling ; 
 
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 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. ;  
2 
 ISO 21527 -1: Microbiology of the food and animal feeding stuffs  – Horizontal method for the d enumeration of 
yeast and moulds – Part 1: Colony count technique in products with water activity greater than 0.95;  
 
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;   
 
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 952.13 : Arsenic in food – Silver  diethyldibocarbamate method ; 
 
AOAC 972.23 : Lead in fish – Atomic absorption spectrophotometri c method ; 
 
AOAC 973.34 : Cadmium in food – Atomic absorption spectrophotometric method AOAC 977.13, Histamine in 
sea food –Fluorometric method ; and  
 
AOAC 983.20 : Mercury (methyl) in fish and shellfish – Gas chromatographic metho d. 
 
 
3 DEFINITIONS  
 
For the purpose of this draft standard , the following definitions shall apply:  
 
3.1 
cracker  
food product made from fresh fish or frozen minced flesh of either marine or freshwater fish, 
crustacean, molluscan shellfish and /or the mixture thereof 
 
3.2 
fish 
poikilothermic  or cold blooded aquatic vertebr ates having gills, fins and typically an elongated body 
 
3.3 
fish snack product  
food made from fresh fish or frozen minced flesh of either marine (including both the red meat and white meat 
species) or freshwater fish, crustacean (including prawns and shrimps) and molluscan shellfish (including squids, 
cuttlefish, oysters, clams, mussels and cockles) and prepared by mixing all the ingredients, forming, cooking, 
cooling, slicing, drying, frying or baking  
 
3.4  
crustacean  
arthropod with a hard outer shell and jointed limbs that usually lives in aquatic environment 
 
3.5 
molluscan shellfish  
molluscan having soft unsegmented body with a calcareous shell secreted by a fold of skin 
 
 
4 ESSENTIAL COMPOSITION AND QUALITY FACTORS  
4.1  General requirements  
 
4.1.1  Raw material 
 
The product shall be prepa red from; 
 
4.1.1.1  Fish, crustacean and molluscan shellfish with characteristic fresh appearance, colour and odour;  
3 
  
4.1.1.2  Fresh,  chilled  or  frozen  fish,  crustacean  and  molluscan  shellfish  or  frozen  minced  fresh  
fish, crustacean and molluscan shellfish; and  
 
4.1.1.3  Potable  water shall comply with MS 214.  
 
4.1.2  Other ingredients 
 
Flour other than soy and mushroom  flour conforming to relevant Malawi or  International standard.  
 
4.1.3 Optional ingredients 
 
The product may contain sugar, salt, spices, conforming to relevant Malawi or International standard . 
 
4.1.4  Finished  product  
 
The product shall have   characteristic colour and texture and free from spoilage and foreign matter.  
 
4.1.5  Grading of fish snack products  
 
The products shall be graded as per requirements stipulated in Table 1.  
4.2  Specific requirements  
 
4.2.1 When tested  in accordance with AOAC 977.13, the level of histamine in the product shall not exceed 
100 ppm. 
 
4.2.2  The product shall comply with the requirements specified in Table 1. 
 
Table 1: Requirements for fish snack products  
 
1 2 3 4 5 6 
S/NO Paramet er Grade Snack from 
fish Snack from c rusta cean     
and mollusc an shellfish Test 
method 
1 Crude protein (N x 
6.25), 
%, w/w min. I 12 8  
Kjeldah 
method  II 8 5 
III 5 2 
2 Moisture content, % 
w/w  8 to 14 8 to 14 ANNEX A 
 
4.2.3  The products covered by this draft standard shall comply with microbiological limits given in Table 2  
 
Table  2:  Microbiological limits for crackers from marine and fresh fish, crustaceans and 
molluscan shellfish  
 
S/No Micro-organisms  Max. limits Method of test 
i)  Salmonella per 25 g Absent ISO 6579 
ii)  E. coli per gram Absent ISO 7251 
iii)  Staphylococcus aureus  cfu per gram 10 ISO 6888 
iv)  Vibrio Spp per gram  Absent ISO/TS 21872 
v)  Total viable count per gram 10 ISO 4833 
vi) Yeast and moulds, cfu per gram  102 ISO 21527 -1  
4 
 5 FOOD ADDITIVES  
 
In addition to additives listed in Table 3, additives used in the products covered by this draft standard shall 
comply with MS 237.  
 
Table 3:  Some of food additives for crackers from marine and fresh fish, crustaceans and molluscan 
shellfish  
 
1  2  3 
S/No  Type of additive  Name of preservative  INS Number  Maximum level in the final product  
1 Sequestrants  Polyphosphates  452 5 mg/Kg expressed as P 2O5 singly or 
in combination (includes natural 
phosphates)  
2 Flavor enhancers  Monosodium glutamate  621 GMP  
 
 
6 CONTAMINANT S  
 
Fish snack products shall conform to those maximum levels for heavy metals and other contaminants as 
stipulated in MS 302 . 
 
 
7 HYGIENE  
 
The products covered by the provisions of this draft standard shall be prepared and handled in accordance with 
the appropriate sections of the MS 21 and 790.  
 
 
8 PACKAGING AND LABELLING  
 
8.1 Packaging  
 
The product  shall be packed in food grade containers which is moisture proof  and gas impermeable that will 
safeguard the hygienic, nutritional, technological and organoleptic qualities of the product. They shall not 
impart any toxic substance or off odour or flavour to the product. 
 
8.2  Labelling  
 
In addition to the requirements in MS 19 , the following specific labelling requirements shall apply and shall be 
legibly and indelibly marked: 
 
8.2.1  The name of the product shall be derived from the main raw material(s) used. And shall be named as 
 
"Fish Crackers" if the raw material is from fish, those from cracker from crustacean and molluscan 
shellfish shall depict the comm on name of the species, such as like "Prawn Crackers" or "Squid Crackers" 
crackers made by mixing if different  species of fish, crustaceans or  molluscan shellfish used then the product  
shall be named as “mixed cracker”, indicating all the species and common name used. 
 
8.2.2  Name  and physical address of processor; 
 
8.2.3   Net weight  in grams or kilograms; 
 
8.2.4  Production  date; 
 
8.2.5  Batch  number; 
 
8.2.6  Expiry date;  
5 
 8.2.7  Instruction  for use;  
 
8.2.8  Country  of origin; 
 
8.2.9  Conditions  of storage ; and  
 
 
9 METHODS OF SAMPLING  
 
Sampling shall be done in accordance  with CAC/GL 50. 
6 
  
ANNEX A 
(Normative)  
 
DETERMINATION OF MOISTURE CONTENT 
 
A.1 Principle  
 
The sample is dried to constant weight in an oven. 
 
 
A.2  APPARATUS 
 
A.2.1   Moisture dishe s, made of nickel, stainless steel, aluminium or porcelain, with well-fitting lids 
 
A.2.2   Oven. 
 
A.2.3    Desiccator. 
 
 
A.3 PRO CEDURE  
 
Weigh accurate ly about 10 g of the sample in a suitable moisture dish, previously dried in an oven and 
weighed. Place the dish in an oven maintained at 105 °C ± 2 °C for five hours.  Cool the dish in a 
desiccator and weigh with the lid on.  Repeat the  process of heating, cooling and weighing at half-hour 
intervals until the loss in mass between two successive weightings is less than 1 ml. Record the lowest 
mass obtained.  
 
A.4  Calculation 
 
The moisture content shall be expre ssed as follows: 
 
Moisture ,% by mass =𝑚1−𝑚2
𝑚1−𝑚x100 
where  
 
m1    is the mass, in grams, of the moisture dish with material before drying; 
 
m2    is the mass, in grams, of the moisture dish with the material after drying; and 
 
m    is the mass, in grams, of the empty moisture dish.  
 
 
 
ICS 6 7.120.30                DMS 1434 :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 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