QUALITY STATUS OF DRIED FISH IN THE RETAILMARKETS OF SYLHET SADAR UPAZILA, SYLHET

Abstract

The present study was under taken with an aim to assess the quality of the dried products in the retail markets which act as a linker between the producers and consumers. For this purpose, initially a survey was conducted in five selected dried fish retail markets of Sylhet Sadar Upazila to assess the availability, retailing system, price, and physical condition of the traditional sun dried products through market visit and person to person interview. Thereafter, representative samples of four traditional sun dried fish such as Taki (Channa punctatus), Guchi baim (Mastacembelus pancalus), Jat punti (Puntius sophore), and Tengra (Mystus vittatus) were collected from each market for further quality assessment in the laboratory. On the other hand, these four species were also sun dried in the laboratory with proper hygienic and sanitary conditions as a control. Then the organoleptic quality, water reconstitution properties and proximate composition of traditional sun dried and control products were evaluated and compared. It was observed that the dried fish distribution chain from producers to consumers run through a number of intermediaries: wholesalers, paikers, local vendor and retailers. The number of retailers in the studied markets varied between 2 to 21. Total 22 freshwater origin sun dried products were found in the different markets during the survey period of which 17 were small size dried fish and 5 were big size dried fish and also represented 77% and 23%, respectively. The variation of the price of the selected fish products depends on market species, size, quality and seasonal fluctuation of the dried fish in the markets. The price of small dried fish species varied from BDT 300-800 per kg where the price range of Punti, Tengra, Taki and Guchi baim were ranged between BDT 300-400, BDT 450-500, BDT 500-600 and BDT 700-800 per kg, respectively. It was been reported that the retailers usually sell their products within 5-7 days after collection from the aratdars and do not use any preservatives or insecticides within this period although the products was found to keep openly in the markets. The average daily selling of the product also reported to vary depending on the size of the markets and density of the adjacent population. It was also been demonstrated that a retailer usually sell up to 10 kg per day in a larger market whereas in a smaller market it was about 4 kg per day. A number of constraints were mentioned by the retailers of which 60% about the lack of capital, 10% about on higher transportation cost, 16% about inadequate or lack of storage facilities and 14% about the unhygienic market place. When the quality of the traditional sun dried and control products were compared, it was been showed that the color, odor, texture of the control products were excellent grade than those of the traditional sun dried products collected from the retail markets. Water reconstitution properties also varied between traditional and control products where maximum rehydration was observed in control products both at 40°C and 60°C temperature. The higher (18.32% to 25.85%) moisture content was observed in the traditional sun dried products whereas the control products contained up to 15.99% moisture irrespective of the species. It was also been observed that the protein, lipid and ash content of the traditional sun dried products were lower than those of the control products. These results revealed that the quality of the traditional sun dried product is lower than those of the products made in the laboratory. This may be happened due to the use of quality deteriorated raw fish for drying purpose, lack of knowledge about the quality and unhygienic drying practices in the yards. Therefore, awareness on quality of raw materials and training on proper hygiene, sanitation and keeping conditions of the products is prime need from producers to retailers. In addition, quality monitoring system of the products should be implemented in the retail markets. It is, therefore, strongly recommended to ensure the institutional and government support and extension aids for improving the drying methods, marketing systems and market facilities that can ensure a good quality sun dried fish products in the retail markets for consumers.