Compliance of fishery handling facilities to food safety requirements within the fresh Nile perch value chain in Uganda

The study investigated the compliance of fisheries handling facilities to food safety requirements stipulated in the existing laws, regulations, and standards within the fresh Nile perch value chain in Uganda. Data on personnel hygiene facilities, infrastructure, equipment, storage facilities, product and ice handling, waste management, and water quality were collected using a checklist based on current regulations, standards, and codes of practice, through direct observation. Fisher’s exact test of independence was used to determine significant differences in compliance based on facility type, market chain, and value chain segments. Fish factories (processing facilities) exhibited the highest compliance, followed by landing sites and local market stalls. There were significant (p ≤ 0.001) disparities in compliance for all the parameters, across value chain segments. Personnel hygiene facilities, such as changing rooms, toilets, and handwashing amenities, showed suboptimal compliance, with only 48.1% of the fish handling facilities having fully or nearly compliant change rooms. Conversely, 39.2% fish facilities had least or non-compliant toilets, posing a considerable risk of cross-contamination. There was a significant (p ≤ 0.001) distinction for all the examined parameters between facilities in the export and local market chains. Export-oriented facilities demonstrated higher compliance levels. This study recommends prioritisation of interventions targeting training and infrastructure development for the private sector.