Fish processors using Actellic to preserve Usipa in Nkhatabay- Malawi

Some fish processors in Nkhata Bay are using Actellic, a pesticide intended for grain storage, to preserve Usipa, a practice that health experts say poses serious risks to consumers.

A visit by the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation to fishing camps in Nkhatabay, including Sanga Fishing Camp in Traditional Authority Makhambila, revealed that traders are mixing Actellic with water and sprinkling it over drying fish.

The traders told the public broadcaster that the method allows fish to last up to two years, while others store treated fish for months before selling in larger cities like Lilongwe and Blantyre.

“We’re in the Usipa season and supply is high while demand is low,” one woman, who requested anonymity, told MBC. “We dilute Actellic in about 20 liters of water and apply small amounts. We believe it is safe and it helps us store fish for months or even sell it the same day if customers show up.”

However, health experts have sounded the alarm over the practice, warning that using Actellic, a pesticide meant for grain storage, in fish preservation poses serious risks to consumers.

Nutritionist Cecilia Mhango explained that the chemical can destroy essential nutrients, reduce protein quality, damage vitamins, and even produce harmful toxins in fish, risks that are not eliminated by washing or cooking.

“Actellic is not safe for food,” Mhango cautioned. “It destroys essential nutrients, reduces protein quality, and damages vitamins such as B1, B2, and A. Even worse, it can turn healthy fats rancid, producing toxins harmful to the body.”

Acting Senior Chief Patrick Shaba condemned the practice as “inhumane” and pledged to convene an emergency meeting of the Area Development Committee to identify and discipline those involved.

District Health Promotion Officer Christopher Singini echoed the warning, stressing that Actellic is strictly a pesticide and unsafe for human consumption. “Its use in fish drying poses serious health risks,” he said. “We urge all traders to prioritize consumer safety over profits.”

Dellings Kamenya, District Fisheries Officer, added that using it in fish processing is illegal and unsafe, noting that proper laboratory conditions and waiting periods are required to make it even minimally safe.

Meanwhile, authorities are urging traders to adopt traditional preservation methods such as salting and proper drying, which are effective, affordable, and safe. Awareness campaigns and training for fish processors are planned to reduce health risks.