FEASIBILITY OF FISH IRRADIATION PROCESSING IN EGYPT.

FEASIBILITY OF FISH IRRADIATION PROCESSING IN EGYPT.
A.A.MAHMOUD AND A.A. IBRAHIM
National Centre for Radiation Research and Technology,
Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, ~gypt.
Egypt is blessed with a long coastline extel1ding for about 2500 Kilometers
as well as a ·continuous shelf of about 53 thousand Kilometers bordering
the country from north along the Mediterranean Sea and from the west
along the Red Sea. Besides, Egypt possesses various inland water resources
inclUding the River Nile, lakes and canals. Nevertheless, the annual fish
cateh in Egypt is still far from being fully exploited.
The total annual catch of fish in Egypt is presently about 110,000 metric
tons. The most important fish source in Egypt is the High Dam Lake at
the southernT’1ost part of Egypt south Aswan City (about 1000 km from
Cairo). Its potential annual yield is estimated at about 20-30 thousand
metric tons, 80 % is constituted by bolti fish TiIapia nilotica. The basic
problem facing exploitation of the lake is the unadequate transporation
of fresh fish on the lake itself (35 km long) and from the lake to main
retail markets at Cairo. Usually, transportation takes place in caushed
ice and requires not less than 7-10 days. As a result, many fish shipments
reach the destination f.ar from being in a satisfactory hygienic state. Trying
to solve this problem, 0 a study has been conducted at the National Centre
for Radiation Research and Technology aiming at increasing the shelflife of fish catch.