Fish consumption and quality by peri-urban households among fish farmers and public servants in Ethiopia

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Tamiru, M., Alkhtib, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-3381-0304, Ahmedsham, M., Worku, Z., Tadese, D.A., Teka, T.A., Geda, F. and Burton, E. ORCID: 0000-0003-2784-6922, 2023. Fish consumption and quality by peri-urban households among fish farmers and public servants in Ethiopia. Ecohydrology and Hydrobiology. ISSN 1642-3593

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecohyd.2023.02.005

Abstract

The goal of this study was to analyse peri-urban households' fish consumption and fish quality along the value chain of the fish-livestock production system. Data on fish consumption per capita and socio-economic characteristics of the household of 366 households were collected along the fish value chain, covering two rural districts (Omonada and Kersa) and one town (Jimma). Effect of socio-economic characteristics on fish consumption of the interviewed households was analysed using Ordinary Least Square Regression. A total of 36 Nile Tilapia fish were collected from eight locations along the fish value chain. Then, the samples were analysed for microbial, physiochemical, and sensorial attributes. The influence of sample location on physiochemical, qualitative characteristics, and microbiological loads of fish fillets was investigated using one-way ANOVA and orthogonal contrast to separate the means. The mean fish consumption per capta in the study area was 0.541 kg/person/year. Fish consumption of the household was significantly influenced by location and household head sex. Fish consumption was positively influenced by education, family size, and wealth, but negatively influenced by age. The fish value chain in the study area extended from the production site (adjacent to Gilgel Gibe I reservoir) and district retailer shops, Jimma town mobile trader and retailing shops. Except the production site, fish quality across the value chain were lower than the standard. Furthermore, fish samples from marketing sites (Jimma town mobile traders, Jimma town retailer shops, and district retailer shops) had lower ash, fat, crude protein levels, higher TVB-N, higher pH and higher aerobic and coliform loads compared to samples from production sites. Fish samples from district shops and Jimma town traders had significantly lower off-flavour scores compared to the production sites (0.94 points and 1.53 points, respectively). Fish obtained from Jimma retailers had significantly less odour compared to those obtained from Jimma mobile traders by 0.87 points.In conclusion, Ethiopian households' consumption of fish in the integrated livestock-fish farming system is generally low. Yet, it could be improved by reducing fish production cost and shortening the fish value chain. Improving cold chain facilities and implementing household to household extension services about fish consumption would be inevitable to enhance fish consumption in the study area.

Item Type:

Journal article

Publication Title:

Ecohydrology and Hydrobiology

Creators:

Tamiru, M., Alkhtib, A., Ahmedsham, M., Worku, Z., Tadese, D.A., Teka, T.A., Geda, F. and Burton, E.

Publisher:

Elsevier BV

Date:

7 March 2023

ISSN:

1642-3593