Understanding the blowfly life cycle helps promote hygienic fish processing. Validated RNRRS Output.

Abstract

This is one of 280 summaries describing key outputs from the projects run by DFID's 10-year Renewable Natural Resources Research Strategy (RNRRS) programmes.

Summary for Project title: R7971: Field evaluation of a systems based approach to the reduction of blowfly infestation of traditionally processed fish in tropical developing countries.

Understanding the blowfly lifecycle is helping village fish processors raise the quality of their products. Traditional methods of smoking, drying and salting fish in the tropics are often very unhygienic and between 25% and 90% go bad. Previously, processors were slow to adopt simple hygienic measures, such as disposing of waste, making sure the fish and utensils are clean, preparing brines properly, and drying fish on frames rather than on the ground. But when they understand that maggots in their fish come from blowflies they are quickly converted. The guide to help fisheries authorities and NGOs teach processors how to keep their products safe from blowfly maggots is being widely used in Africa, South Asia and South East Asia.

The CD has the following information for this output: Description, Validation, Current Situation, Current Promotion, Impacts On Poverty, Environmental Impact. Attached PDF (14 pp.) taken from the CD.

Citation

PHF11, New technologies, new processes, new policies: tried-and-tested and ready-to-use results from DFID-funded research, Research Into Use Programme, Aylesford, Kent, UK, ISBN 978-0-9552595-6-2, p 105.

Published 1 January 2007