Media

Muscat municipality takes care of fish quality in markets and shops

•  Intensive inspection and control campaigns to the sale, circulation, conservation and cooking of fish for public health.
  

•  The central laboratory of Muscat Municipality is doing a magnificent job in inspecting the fish samples for validation.

Muscat. Ibrahim al-Hassani

     Fish are considered to be from current and consumed food on a continuous and large basis among the community, given their high nutritional value, diversity and variation of outlets for sale and circulation, located in the Sultanate in general and in Muscat Governorate, markets for the sale of fish, as well as commercial stores To the different states of Muscat Governorate, and with the daily circulation of this rich wealth of benefits from fishing operations, through market supply and conservation methods and storage, down to the dining table, would require follow-up and intense control to maintain their quality to reach healthy and healthy consumers, and being It is considered to be a fast-damaged and corrupt food, to ensure that fish quality is taken care of and to verify its consumption; The municipality of Muscat plays a role scientific and practical tasks, in cooperation with other stakeholders in this area, are explained through the following lines.  
Qais bin Suleiman al-Shhari, director general of the General Directorate of Health Affairs of Muscat Municipality, explained that the provinces of Muscat Governorate contain 61 stores and activities for the sale of fish, as well as market stores for the sale and circulation of fish such as: The new fish and vegetable market in the state of place, the market of the Seeb, and the sections Health Inspection of service directorates with intensive and ongoing efforts to monitor and follow up on the sale and circulation of fish in markets, shops, enterprises and fish factories and warehouses, as well as grill fish restaurants to ensure that sanitary requirements and public health controls are applied.
The central Laboratory of Muscat Municipality also receives the samples received to inspect fish whose suitability for human consumption is questionable. The laboratory analyzes and examines samples to show scientific results, and it is noteworthy that there is ongoing cooperation between Muscat municipality and the Fish Quality Control centre of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries for the preservation of the public health of individuals.

Fish diversity

Fish are more diverse than meat and birds, with more than 200 species of edible fish, both river and sea, and seashells. Fish are divided into: a) fish for diet: fish with white meat, classified as low fat as fish: tilapia, whiteness, coral, pasta, seabseabream, denim, Grouper, and Musa, which are solid white fish, with a fat ratio of about 2 5.5% and the fat is stored in the liver.
 (b) fatty fish, which are dark-meat fish and include most marine fish with a high fat ratio of up to 20%, and the fat is spread in the flesh; its flesh is therefore dark and difficult to digest, including sardines, herring, bricks, denim, salmon, tuna, etc.
 Seashells of marine fish are considered to be low fat, making the color of their flesh tilted to white, such as shrimp, Sharkha, and are covered by shell or outside cover that protects them. Some shells and others are eaten without cooking after they are opened and are easier to digest but cause serious harm to humans especially if they are exposed to bacterial contamination.

Nutritional value

Fish is a rich source of animal protein, and it has been shown through studies that the nutritional value of fish is equal to meat. Fish oils were also found to be a moderate source of thermal energy in the human body in addition to the important vitamins they contain, as well as the thickness of fish fat by containing a high proportion of unsaturated fatty acids which helps to reduce the level of cholesterol in human blood and this property is given to fat Fish is an important feature in nutrition.
Fish are also a rich source of mineral salts, such as calcium and phosphorous, as well as scarce minerals that are indispensable to humans. Therefore, who and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) are working to raise awareness to increase fish farming and rice fields, which are Especially young people in places where there is a lack of nutrition. Fish are also considered to be the richest sources of iodine, iron and some rare elements, where fish proteins are the easiest to digest, especially white fish meat (free of fat) the type of red fish and the content of high fat or prepared and cooked in a manner that is added An increase of fats and oils gives a man a sense of fullness of the abdomen for a long time. The easy digestion of fish meat is more rapid than other foods, due to the low content of fish tissues from connective tissues as well as to the basic fibre length limit in the muscle structure, and the digestive value of dried fish proteins is affected especially when the temperature rises or when the exposure time increases Fish for drying conditions This is explained by the fact that the enzymes are resistant to reactions (enzymes resistant linkages) and it has been shown that the entry of fish into diets cause a lower level of lipids in human blood plasma than other animal foods.

Fresh Fish Recipes

Fresh fish have a shiny surface, the eyes are shiny, the state of the gills is dark red, there is no secretions or mucous material on it, and the fish does not keep fingerprints as a result of pressure.

The manifestations of rotten fish

Fish corruptions are gradually carried out, the fish immediately after the catch is surrounded by a odorless mucous layer, and the eye and the color of the red nostrils, when pressed on the belly of the fish, produce a odorless, transparent liquid. Several hours after the fish were caught without being placed in the snow, signs of corruption are shown in the following: the separation of the crusts easily, the emergence of an unpleasant smell of fish-like ammonia, the disappearance of the eyes, the color of the nostrils to the light, and the pressure on the body of the fish leaves The fingers have an effect for a while, as well as when the fish`s belly is pressed out of the anus with a smelly liquid.
In addition to the previous sensory methods and the water buoyancy test, there are chemical and microbiological analytical methods to determine the extent of the fish, estimating the concentration of the total reduced volatile substances-volatilized rules-testing the ammonia-estimation of acetyliamine test-acid testing The creek-tyrosus-the test of the conductivity of the fat-free amino acids and total volatilized nitrogen – electrolysis – and finally bacterial count.

Factors affecting fish corruption

The fishing method is the first step that affects the fish, with the bag trawling leading to the accumulation of fish on top of each other, resulting in pressure of the fish in the cyst, which leads to the emergence of the guts and is a source of microbial contamination, and muscle laceration occurs under the compression effect of releasing enzymes. Internal of the body and these methods help to corrupt.
"Fish Quality" is also a factor influencing fish corruption. The fish are faster than the round fish for the rapid occurrence of tetitic in the fish released from the round, and fatty fish are the fastest-growing corruption to oxidize their unsaturated fats.
As well as hard-to-resist fish lose glycogen and with excess trading is more damaging than the less effortless fish, and free-intestine fish are less prone to damage than full-intestine fish.
Fish are contaminated with bacteria from the water you live in or through infected workers or from contaminated equipment and nets and also from inside her intestines. The more bacteria numbers, the higher the rates of corruption, especially if there are fish wounds.
Sorting and classifying fish is an important and vital process that helps raise the marketing value of fish, and every delay in this process causes a loss of about 25% of the fish`s suitability and taking into account when sorting fish washing using a compressed water stream and common mistakes (washing at a basin) where This helps spread microbes.
The transport of fish is one of the most dangerous stages of fish circulation and takes place in two stages:
Phase 1: After direct fishing and before conservation, where fish are assembled and transported to sorting and packing places this is one of the most dangerous stages where the common mistakes made during this phase lead to the corruption of a high proportion of the fish.
The correct way is to put fish in wooden cans (toil) a 2-kilogram packaging or 15-kilogram plastic packs, and the fish is not placed in the packaging so that they are not pressed and that they are transported away from the direct sunlight or dirt and dust and fish must be covered during transport operations.
 Phase 2: Transportation from sorting and packing centres to markets or conservation and manufacturing centres, and transportation to different centres by equipped cars or vessels equipped to transport fish.

Fish Transport and Marketing

One of the actions to be taken into account in the transport and marketing of fish is the washing of the receptacle (table) on which the fish is placed in clean water, scattering a quantity of well-crushed ice on the bottom of the table with a 2 – 3 cm thickness, and the fish are pressed into one layer and the direction of the head is placed at the opposite of the tail. The fish layer is pressed over the ice, then a snow layer, then a fish layer and so on.
Fish are transported in cars intended for transport of fish, which are closed and insulated from heat, and when fish arrive at the place of commercialization, they are immediately stored in private refrigerators.

Methods of fish Conservation
Fish are kept in several ways and methods: cooling, freezing, salting, drying, smoking, canning and the use of atomic radiation.

Methods of fish fraud

Qais bin Suleiman al-Kohari indicated that there were several methods of fish fraud being carried out by some irresponsible groups, including: Mixing of damaged fish with fresh, fish-eye removal, especially of large-sized, red-colored nostrils, colored with the natural color of them, mixing rotten fish with crushed ice where Reduces the smell of damage and hides the manifestations of corruption, sometimes the fish is painted with a viscous mucous substance. Also, the fraudulent methods of freezing and selling damaged fish are frozen in layers, and the large amounts of fresh fish have been sprayed of food salt to hide unwanted colours, or add phosphate salts to make the fish moist and water-retaining.
Fish Quality Control Centre
    On the role of the Fish Quality Control center, Reza bin Saeed bin Khalfan Beit Faraj, head of the marine Food Safety Systems Application section, explained that the centre was supervising the Sultanate`s cooling and fish production chain to ensure the safety and quality of fish, in the interest of consumer health and for further returns As an important resource for workers in the fisheries sector, and the centre performs many tasks and programmes to ensure the safety of products fish at all stages of production and distribution this is done through control programmes performed by inspectors of the Quality Systems Control section of the centre by inspecting processing facilities Fish and make sure they apply the provisions of the fish Quality Control regulation 12/2009, and are inspected using specially crafted forms for this purpose, and there are programs to adoption of designs for new fish installations and rehabilitation of facilities not conforming to the provisions of the regulations, the Marine Safety Systems Application Section provides support The technical advice necessary for them to agree on the status of legislation on the safety and quality of fishery products is provided through assistance in find the best designs for the facilities and apply their own system to ensure that products are not polluted during the various stages of manufacture, and adhere to these standards empowers the facility Obtain a quality control certificate through which they are allowed to market and export their products. The centre is also withdrawing fish samples to detect contaminants.
The centre is also providing several training programmes for sector workers on the "Haesat" system, the risk analysis system and points critical control, and everything related to the safety and quality of fish through annual workshops, symposiums and conferences.
Reza Beit Faraj noted that the importance of cooling for the product was emphasized during the various stages of circulation, encouraging fishermen to use ice and fish conservation funds boats for keeping fish until landing and confirming the presence of suitable landing vehicles such as cranes, transport belts and sales markets Wholesale and enclosed, and in fish markets for consumers, sellers are obliged to use ice to save the fish offered for sale with a commitment to sell in the markets that are equipped for this purpose and that are controlled with the appropriate means of supply, shredding and conservation to keep their tastes To minimize any opportunities for contamination of products. Commercial shopping malls are also subject to periodic visits by the Fish Quality Control centre inspectors to ascertain the conditions for the sale of products and to comply with health standards.
In the case of export products, the Quality Systems Control section will certify health certificate applications for fish shipments after ensuring that they meet all safety requirements in terms of packaging, storage and status of packagings and metadata, as well as the withdrawal of inspection samples by sampling plan prepared Therefore, inspectors perform their roles at airports for fresh exported fish products and wholesale market for fish in FLC in cooperation with a warehouse and logistics company for frozen and exported fish through offshore outlets.
In view of the high reputation and the existence of the legislation that is safe for the safety and quality of fish in the sultanate, Omani fish are highly popular in the Union market. European and East Asian, Continental, Indian, Brazilian and other global markets, resulting in redoubled effort to maintain this level To enhance the role of the fisheries sector in gross national income.
The Centre also conducted awareness-raising campaigns for consumers to sensitize them about the concepts of seafood safety and how to maintain the quality of fresh fish.

Laboratory efforts

On the laboratory efforts of the center, Reza Beit Faraj explained that to make sure that fish and water products are free the ice of any contaminants is performed by the Fish Quality Control centre through a series of laboratory tests through four laboratories: Microbiolje analysis Laboratory for detection Various microbial, viral and parasitic contaminants associated with product safety and quality, chemical analysis laboratory and that detects chemical contaminants such as heavy metals, histamamine, veterinary drugs and various toxins. While the lab is doing Physical assessment of fish products and the virtual examination of fish in addition to receiving samples and registering them in the Information Management database laboratory, the Seafood Laboratory examines the products and their nutritional value as well as the total of volatilized and used nitrogen. To estimate the quality of fresh fish.The chief of the Maritime Safety Systems Application section added that there was cooperation between the Centre and the Muscat municipality in the area of fish quality, and Muscat municipality was playing a key role in ensuring food safety in Muscat Governorate and had a prominent role in controlling fish markets. The centre makes use of the judicial control teams of the Municipality of Muscat on the release of irregularities and records of the destruction of fish unfit for human consumption. The municipal inspectors inspect some of the fish samples at the centre`s laboratories to ensure that they are free of contaminants.  
The Centre provides training programmes and specialized workshops for inspectors from Muscat municipality. Over the past year, the Centre has received (170) samples of analysis, of which 7 have exceeded the contaminant ratios set out in the fish quality Control regulation. 12/2009, this is a low figure, which is an indication of the success of the Centre`s efforts to control fishing facilities and to ensure that they apply standards Health and preventive needs.

Fish Traders

 With the views of fish sellers and traders, Darwish bin Khalfan, a Canadian fisherman and fish trader, has been practicing fishing for nearly 30 years, saying: "We used to use wood boats already in the hunt, and now we`re using modern boats to hunt, and we take care of the quality of the fish and take it down in The markets are fresh with all their quality for sale and trading, and when the sea is down for fishing and we stay for a fairly long period of more than 3 hours we take with us boxes dedicated to keeping the fish that is dictated by crushed ice, but if the hunt is short, just keep it in a safe place and return directly to the market for sale, The hunter must be Amin and keep his or her livelihood from cheating or trickery, especially in food and consumables, and in fact is a market for fish, vegetables and the new fruits of the model markets are healthy and artistic, as the market is covered, air conditioned, and highly hygienic, and includes a healthy and conservative fish-selling platform Cold, the market is currently witnessing increasing qualitative interest, and we request other stakeholders to cooperate with our support as hunters of cutting-edge fishing boats that include a custom Prada and tools that help us during the fishing process, as well as support for the ice-conserving fish. "
     Mohammed bin Abdullah al-Kaeri, a fish trader, said: "The new fish market is the most recent paradigm shift in the fish-selling sector to what it contains a market of modern and multiple facilities that serve traders and maintain the quality of fish and despite some slight observations on the market such as narrow corridors between tables Supply, and the importance of cooling distribution across the market maybe by automatic mechanism to open and close the entry and exit doors until the market maintains its prot-except that we value this project with its unique design, and we commend the Municipality of Muscat for its ongoing oversight and market inspections; to maintain the quality of fish and agricultural products and full compliance with health requirements. "