Bacterial and heavy metal contamination in selected commonly sold herbal medicine in Blantyre, Malawi.

Background: There has been an increase in use of herbal medicine worldwide. It is either used as a stand-alone or complementary therapy to conventional medicine due to past good experience, poverty and family traditions. In Malawi, there are no regulations governing the supply, acquisition, marketing and quality enforcement of herbal medicine.

Microbiological quality of traditional and improved kiln smoked catfish (; Pisces; Clariidae) in Lake Chilwa Basin.

Microbiological quality of smoked catfish () locally known as Mlamba was assessed in this study where traditional and improved smoking kilns were used to smoke fish. Catfish is common fish caught in abundance in the Lake Chilwa basin, and the fish is usually smoked to reduce postharvest losses and increase shelf life. Samples were collected in sterile polythene bags, well labeled, and collected in cooler boxes transported ready for laboratory analysis.