Effects of indigenous household preservatives on fresh African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822)

Abstract

Many traditional preservation methods for fish have not been able to address issues of quality, whereas the modern methods of preservation are generally expensive for the rural poor. This study investigated the effect of ginger and garlic pastes as household preservatives on African Catfish in Ghana. Fish samples were treated with the paste of garlic, ginger, and a mixture of both garlic and ginger for 72 hours under ambient laboratory conditions. Samples were subjected to physical and microbial examination on a daily basis during the storage period. The garlic, ginger, and a mixture of both pastes as treatment extended the shelf life of the fish for three days. The untreated (control) fish had deteriorated in quality by the end of the third day with confirmation of extensive aesthetic deterioration and maggot infestation of the carcass.