Multivariate analysis of best management practices influencing food safety in P. vannamei shrimp culture in Andhra Pradesh, India

Introduction

Shrimp farming is a successful model within India's food production system, which boosts overall economic development (Kumaran et al., 2003; Ahmed, 2013) [25. 1] and promotes small-scale entrepreneurs (Belton et al., 2017) [5] in the farming sector. The farming sector has been reported to obtain maximum possible output for a given set of inputs (Kumaran et al. 2017) [24] . For year 2025-26 Shrimp exports recorded growth of 4.6% in quantity and 6.35% in value, highlighting its dominant position in the Indian marine export sector. Shrimp contributed ₹47,973.13 crore (US$ 5.51 billion), accounting nearly two-thirds of India's total marine product. (MPEDA, 2026). Adoption of Better Management Practices (BMPs) at various levels is essential for effective risk reduction, management, and mitigation to ensure sustainable and successful shrimp farming (Kumaran and Ponniah, 2013; Sivaraman et al., 2019) [26,48] . BMPs such as responsible antibiotic usage, water quality management, biosecurity, hygienic harvesting, and traceability help minimize contamination risks and improve the quality and safety of shrimp intended for human consumption. Food safety defines producing, processing, handling and storing food in way that prevents disease incidence and retains nutrients for healthy diet. The antimicrobial use in aquaculture is increasing greatly, estimated at 63,151 tons in 2010, and projected to rise by 67% in 2030. The countries like Brazil, Russia, India, and South Africa have the highest estimated global antimicrobial consumption (Van Boeckel TP, Brower C et al 2015) [50] . Effective BMPs implementation can significantly reduce food safety risks and promote safer and sustainable shrimp production systems. (Sivaraman et al., 2019; Nguyen et al) [48] .

Methodology

A total of 200 shrimp farmers were chosen using a simple random sampling technique from key shrimp-growing areas in the Bapatla district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The study sought to investigate the association between the use of Best Management Practices (BMPs) and food safety in shrimp farming. The null hypothesis (Ho) is adoption of best management practices in shrimp farming have no significant role in food safety outcomes. Primary data were collected using a standardized, pre-tested interview schedule. A list of 32 Best Management Practices related to pond preparation, biosecurity, water quality management, antibiotic and chemical management, biosecurity, feed management, harvest hygiene, and record keeping were identified based on the review of literature and recommended management guidelines to assess the level of BMP adoption by farmers. A binary scoring method was adopted, where "Yes" responses were assigned a score of 1 and "No" responses were assigned a score of 0. The scores obtained for all BMP practices were summed to derive the BMP score for each farmer. Food safety practices at the farm level were evaluated, as a separate set of food safety-related questions www.extensionjournal.com was developed to cover aspects such as hygienic handling, harvesting practices, chemical safety, and traceability. A similar binary scoring system was used for food safety assessment, and the total score was used to calculate the Food Safety Score for each farmer. The data collected were coded and analysed using the IBM SPSS Statistics software. Descriptive statistics were employed to summarize the information. Multiple regression analysis was used to assess the impact of various BMP components on food safety. This is to find the risk factors in shrimp farming affecting food safety. In the case of the multiple regression model, BMP components were considered as independent variables, while Food Safety Score was handled as the dependent variable. At the 1% and 5% significance levels, the variables' statistical significance was examined. Scatter plots and Histogram of standardised residuals were generated for visual representation of model fit. Additionally, correlation analysis was employed to investigate the connection between food safety and BMP components.

Results and Discussion

The results of the regression analysis (Table 1) revealed that pond preparation, antibiotic and chemical management, soil and water quality management, and harvest and post-harvest management had a significant positive influence on food safety at the 1 per cent level of significance (p-value < 0.01). More over R 2 = 0.943 depicts that model explains 94% of variance in Food safety. However, seed selection and feeding management did not show a statistically significant relationship with food safety. Rejected Null hypothesis. The table no 2 shows the descriptive statistics. The fig 1 represents observed versus predicted values scatter plot, revealed a strong positive association between the actual and model-predicted food safety scores. The data points were closely distributed around the regression line, indicating good agreement between observed and predicted values. The coefficient of determination (R² = 0.943) showed that the regression model explained 94.3% of the variability in food safety, demonstrating good predictive performance and model adequacy. The dependent variable Food safety was regressed on predictor variable pond preparation. Pond preparation significantly predicted Food safety, F (6,193) = 531.418, p value < 0.01 which indicates that pond preparation plays significant role in enhancing food safety (b = 0.511, p value < 0.01), in shrimp farming (Table 1). Proper pond preparation such as pond drying, liming (Boyd, C.E., 2008) [6] (Muralidhar, M et al 2015) [33] (Hossain, M.M.M.et al 2026) [16] , (Chattogram 2024) [10] sludge removal (Rahman, M.H et al 2022) [42] (Yasin et al 2025) [54] , (Mandal, A. and Duyari, M., 2024) [29] , (Reddy, A.K., 2025) [43] (Hossain, M.M.M.et al 2026) and disinfection may help reduce pathogen load (Iber, B.T. and Kasan, N.A., 2021) [17] (Pillai SM 2012) and improve pond hygiene, thereby lowering contamination risks and disease occurrence.(Sai Susmitha Bhargavi K., et al 2024) [47] (Suzuki, A. and Hoang Nam, V., 2018) [49] (Venkateswarlu, V. and Venkatrayulu, C., 2019) [51] . The intensification of aquaculture has contributed to the emergence of several bacterial diseases, resulting in increased use of antimicrobials. (Defoirdt T, et al 2007) [13] (Defoirdt T., 2011) [14] . Antibiotic and chemical management significantly predicted food safety outcomes F (6,193) = 531.418, p value < 0.01) which indicates antibiotic and chemical management has significant role in food safety (b = 0.862, p value < 0.01) in shrimp farming (Table 1). This indicates that responsible use of chemicals, avoidance of banned antibiotics (Paul, R., 2024) [38] , maintenance of treatment records (D'Abramo, L.R., 2009) [12] and adherence to recommended dosages (Ali, H et al, 2016) and withdrawal periods (Okocha, R.C et al 2018) [37] (Quyen, N.T.K et al 2020) [40] significantly improve food safety conditions in shrimp farms (Kunda, S.K., 2005) [28] (Carlino-Costa, C. and Belo, M.A.D.A., 2025) [9] . The indiscriminate use of antimicrobials in aquaculture, resulting in the presence of residues in aquaculture products and producing adverse health consequences in people, needs the deployment of appropriate control mechanisms to protect consumers. (Okocha, 2018) [37] . The results support earlier findings that improper chemical usage (Gautier, D., 2000) [15] (Noriega-Orozco, L. 2010) and antibiotic misuse (Islam, M.S. and Bjarnason, P., 2008) [18] are major contributors to residue-related food safety concerns (Rigos, G. and Kogiannou, D., 2023) [45] (Nazmul Alam, S.M., 2025) [35] in aquaculture production systems. Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points system identifies specific hazards from primary production to final consumption to ensure food safety (Broughton, E.I. and Walker, D.G., 2010). [7] HACCP systems support regulatory control measures and facilitate international trade by enhancing confidence in the safety of traded food products. (CAC. 1997), (Mohanty et al 2016) [31] , (Awuchi, C.G., 2023) [4] . Similarly, soil and water quality management had significantly predicted food safety (b = 0.720, p value < 0.01) (Table 1). Regular monitoring and appropriate maintenance of water quality indicators, including dissolved oxygen, pH, ammonia levels, and pond hygiene, play an important role in improving food safety, controlling disease outbreaks, and decreasing microbial contamination in aquaculture. (Reilly, A. and Käferstein, F.J.A.R., 1997) [44] (Kanduri, L. and Eckhardt, R.A., 2008) [20] (Carlino-Costa, C. and Belo, M.A.D.A., 2025) [9] . Khatun, M.S et al. (2020) [21] stated that farmers followed at least 50% of the GAP criteria then the foods (shrimp/prawn) were safe for human consumption. Good water quality management reduces stress in shrimp, lowering reliance on antibiotics and pesticides, promoting food safety. (Quyen, N.T.K 2020) [40] (Natrah, I., et al, 2025) [34] . The table 1 shows harvest and post-harvest management practices also significantly predicted food safety (b = 0.928, p value < 0.01). Hygienic harvesting practices, the use of clean containers, timely chilling, and proper handling during transit all play an important role in reducing microbe contamination and maintaining shrimp quality (Maw, W.W., 2025), (Alam, S.N., 2016) [2] . Harvest bins should be cleaned and sanitised before and after harvesting to avoid microbial contamination (Ryan, J.M., 2017) [46] . Seed selection (b = 0.625, p value > 0.01) and feeding management (b = 0.570, p value > 0.01) were statistically non-significant. Overall, the regression results indicate that food safety in shrimp aquaculture is substantially influenced by management practices such as pond hygiene, responsible chemical use, water quality control, and sanitary harvesting www.extensionjournal.com practices. The results emphasized that it is crucial to encourage shrimp farmers to implement scientifically advised BMPs to raise food safety standards, lower the risk of contamination, and boost the shrimp aquaculture industry's export competitiveness. Vietnam, shrimp farmers improved food safety by culturing shrimp according to the Good Aquaculture Practices (GAP) in Vietnam (VietGAP), while other farmers still practice intensive farming without any certification. Farmers with weak practices in quality control and high use of antibiotics reported disease incidence (Quyen, N.T.K et al, 2019) [41] , like EHP, and lower productivity (Sai Susmitha Bhargavi K., et al 2024) [47] . It is essential to strengthen farmer association and social capital at the cluster level. Ensure adoption of farm-level biosecurity measures and collective compliance with improved management practices through a cluster-based strategy. (Kumaran, 2012; World Bank Report, 2014; Joffre et al. 2022) [27] . The histogram of standardized residuals (Fig 2 ) exhibited an approximately normal distribution with residuals centered around zero. The mean standardized residual was nearly zero (Mean = 1.12E-15) and the standard deviation was close to one (SD = 0.985), indicating appropriate standardization of errors. The distribution closely followed the normal curve, suggesting that the normality assumption underlying the multiple linear regression model was adequately met. Minor deviations at the tails were observed but were not substantial enough to affect model validity. The Pearson correlation analysis presented in table 3 showed the relationship between adoption of best management practices and food safety in shrimp farming. The table 4 shows descriptive statistics. The Pearson correlation of best management practices and food safety was found highly positive and statistically significant (r = 0.967, p-value < 0.01) This shows increase in adoption of best management practices ensures an increase in food safety for consumption (Walker and Mohan 2009) [52] (Corsin, F et al. 2008; Kono, H et al 2024) [11,22] . Best Management Practices are intended to develop a sustainable shrimp aquaculture industry, to improve food safety of the final product and for social benefits derived from shrimp farming (Kumara, K.R.P.S. and Hettiarachchi, M., 2018) [23] (Quyen, N.T.K et al 2020) [40] .

Acknowledgement

AcknowledgementThe authors sincerely thank Vice-Chancellor, Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur for providing necessary facilities for conducting the study. The author thanks the respondents for being patient enough to vide necessary information to the study

References

1. Ahmed N. Linking prawn and shrimp farming towards a green economy in Bangladesh: confronting climate change. Ocean & Coastal Management. 2013;75:33-42.
2. Alam SN. Safety in the shrimp supply chain. In: Regulating Safety of Traditional and Ethnic Foods. London: Academic Press; 2016. p. 99-123.
3. Ali H, Rahman MM, Brown C, Jaman A, Basak SK, Islam MM, et al. A study on health management practices and occupational health hazards in shrimp (Penaeus monodon) and prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) farming in southwest Bangladesh. Bangladesh: WorldFish; 2016.
4. Awuchi CG. HACCP, quality, and food safety management in food and agricultural systems. Cogent Food & Agriculture. 2023;9(1):2176280.
5. Belton B, Padiyar A, Ravibabu G, Rao KG. Boom and bust in Andhra Pradesh: development and transformation in India's domestic aquaculture value chain. Aquaculture. 2017;470:196-206.
6. Boyd CE. Better management practices for marine shrimp aquaculture. In: Environmental Best Management Practices for Aquaculture. Ames: Blackwell Publishing; 2008. p. 227-259.
7. Broughton EI, Walker DG. Policies and practices for aquaculture food safety in China. Food Policy. 2010;35(5):471-478.
8. Codex Alimentarius Commission. Hazard analysis and critical control point system and guidelines for its application. Rome: FAO/WHO; 1997. p. 58.
9. Carlino-Costa C, Belo MADA. Ensuring fish safety through sustainable aquaculture practices. Hygiene. 2025;5(4):51.
10. Chattogram B. Aquaculture, disease occurrence and preventive strategies in Mymensingh District. Applied Sciences. 2024;2(6):700-710.
11. Corsin F, Mohan CV, Padiyar A, Yamamoto K, Chanratchakool P, Phillips MJ. Codes of practice and better management: a solution for shrimp health management. Diseases in Asian Aquaculture VI. 2008:419-432.
12. D'Abramo LR, Silva JL, Kim T. Optimization of crustacean quality through husbandry and adherence to post-harvest standards for processing. In: Shellfish Safety and Quality. Cambridge: Woodhead Publishing; 2009. p. 339-358.
13. Defoirdt T, Boon N, Sorgeloos P, Verstraete W, Bossier P. Alternatives to antibiotics to control bacterial infections: luminescent vibriosis in aquaculture as an example. Trends in Biotechnology. 2007;25(10):472479.
14. Defoirdt T, Sorgeloos P, Bossier P. Alternatives to antibiotics for the control of bacterial disease in aquaculture. Current Opinion in Microbiology. 2011;14:251-258.
15. Gautier D. The adoption of good management practices by the shrimp industry on the Caribbean coast of Colombia. World Bank, NACA, WWF and FAO Consortium Program on Shrimp Farming and the Environment; 2000.
16. Iber BT, Kasan NA. Recent advances in shrimp aquaculture wastewater management. Heliyon. 2021;7(11).
17. Islam MS, Bjarnason P. Towards certification and ecolabelling: a compliance study of Bangladesh shrimp aquaculture. Fisheries Training Programme. United Nations University; 2008. p. 57.
18. Jofre OM, Poortvliet PM, Klerkx L. To cluster or not to cluster farmers? Influences on network interactions, risk perceptions, and adoption of aquaculture practices. Agricultural Systems. 2019;173:151-160.
19. Kanduri L, Eckhardt RA. Food Safety in Shrimp Processing: A Handbook for Shrimp Processors, Importers, Exporters and Retailers. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons; 2008.
20. Khatun MS, Islam MA, Ahmed KKU. Shrimp/prawn farming status in south-west region of Bangladesh in context of quality control and food safety issues. Bangladesh Journal of Fisheries. 2020;32(1):185-192.
21. Kono H, Sajiki T, Abeykoon MNDF, Kato K, Randrianantoandro TN. Sustainable shrimp farming in Sri Lanka: utilization of BMPs and antibiotics use. Journal of Advanced Veterinary and Animal Research. 2024;11(1):33.
22. Kumara KRPS, Hettiarachchi M. Critical better management practices and critical bio-security measures for prevention of entry and spread of white spot virus and pathogenic Vibrio in grow-out farms of cultured Penaeus monodon in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Journal of Aquatic Sciences. 2018;23(2).
23. Kumaran M, Anand PR, Kumar JA, Ravisankar T, Paul J, Vimala DD, et al. Is pacific white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) farming in India technically efficient? A comprehensive study. Aquaculture. 2017;468:262-270.
24. Kumaran M, Ravichandran P, Gupta BP, Nagavel A. Shrimp farming practices and its socio-economic consequences in East Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh, India: a case study. Aquaculture Asia. 2003;8(3):48-52.
25. Kumaran M, Ponniah AG. Risk assessment approach for developing better management practices for Litopenaeus vannamei farming. 2013.
26. Kumaran M, Kalaimani N, Ponnusamy K, Chandrasekaran VS, Vimala DD. Sustaining shrimp farming through farmer organizations. LEISA India. 2012;14(3):11-13.
27. Kunda SK. Prevention of antibiotic residues in farmed shrimps: a study on development of HACCP framework applicable at shrimp farms in India [dissertation]. India: Indian Council of Agricultural Research; 2005.
28. Mandal A, Duyari M. Better management practices for sustainable shrimp farming. Chronicle of Aquatic www.extensionjournal.com Sciences. 2024;1(9):52-66.
29. Maw WW. Post-harvest Management and Hygienic Seafood Processing for Small-Scale Fisheries in Bogale. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization; 2025.
30. Mohanty BP, Mahanty A, Mohanty S, Sankar TV. Role of public private partnership in fish food safety assurance and quality management in fish trade. 2016.
31. MPEDA. Press release on shrimp and aquaculture sector. 2026.
32. Muralidhar M, Saraswathy R, Jayanthi M, Christina L, Lalitha N, Kumararaja P. Pond preparation and management practices with special reference to prevention of diseases in brackishwater aquaculture. In: Vijayan KK, editor. 2015. p. 76.
33. Natrah I, Muthukrishnan S, Mohd-Padil H, Mohamad N, Alipiah NM, Shariff M, et al. Antimicrobial resistance in Malaysian shrimp aquaculture and strategies to reduce its occurrence. Reviews in Aquaculture. 2025;17(3).
34. Nazmul Alam SM. Navigating nitrofuran challenges in farmed prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii): strengthening safety and export potentials in Bangladesh. Reviews in Aquaculture. 2025;17(4).
35. Noriega-Orozco L, Higuera-Ciapara I. Maintaining quality of farmed shrimp to meet market demands. In: The Shrimp Book. Wallingford: CABI; 2010. p. 877901.
36. Okocha RC, Olatoye IO, Adedeji OB. Food safety impacts of antimicrobial use and their residues in aquaculture. Public Health Reviews. 2018;39(1):21.
37. Paul R. AMR in aquaculture: enhancing Indian shrimp exports through sustainable practices and reduced antimicrobial usage. Research Paper No. 209. 2024.
38. Pillai SM. Importance of best management practices to develop disease-free environment for Litopenaeus vannamei. In: Management of Emerging Diseases of Shrimp with Special Reference to Pacific White Shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei. 2012.
39. Quyen NTK, Hien HV, Khoi LND, Yagi N, Karia Lerøy Riple A. Quality management practices of intensive whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) farming: a study of the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Sustainability. 2020;12(11):4520.
40. Quyen NTK, Sano M, Kuga M. Current situation of VietGAP system in white leg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) intensive farming: focus on disease control in the Mekong Delta. Journal of Regional Fisheries. 2019;59:146-156.
41. Rahman MH, Alam MA, Flura MR, Azad MM, Arifuzzaman M, Al-Amin SS, et al. Culture and management practice in Mymensingh District: perspective of fish production, disease occurrence and preventive measures. Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies. 2022;10(5):44-49.
42. Reddy AK. Principles and practices of shrimp culture: pre-stocking, stocking and post-stocking management practices. In: Shrimp Culture Technology: Farming, Health Management and Quality Assurance. Singapore: Springer Nature; 2025. p. 107-124.
43. Reilly A, Käferstein FJ. Food safety hazards and the application of the principles of the hazard analysis and critical control point system for their control in aquaculture production. Aquaculture Research. 1997;28(10):735-752.
44. Rigos G, Kogiannou D. Antimicrobial drugs in aquaculture: use and abuse. In: Present Knowledge in Food Safety. London: Academic Press; 2023. p. 142161.
45. Ryan JM. Guide to Food Safety and Quality During Transportation: Controls, Standards and Practices. London: Academic Press; 2017.
46. Sai Susmitha Bhargavi K, Kumaran M, Ravisankar T, Muralidhar M, Sathish Kumar T, Ananthan PS, et al. Risk perception and assessment in pacific white shrimp farming: an exploratory study. International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development. 2024;7(7):203-210.
47. Sivaraman I, Krishnan M, Radhakrishnan K. Better management practices for sustainable small-scale shrimp farming. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2019;214:559-572.
48. Suzuki A, Hoang Nam V. Better management practices and their outcomes in shrimp farming: evidence from small-scale shrimp farmers in Southern Vietnam. Aquaculture International. 2018;26(2):469-486.
49. Van Boeckel TP, Brower C, Gilbert M, Grenfell BT, Levin SA, Robinson TP, et al. Global trends in antimicrobial use in food animals. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2015:5649-5654.
50. Venkateswarlu V, Venkatrayulu C. Prevalence of disease problems affecting shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei farming in Andhra Pradesh, India. International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Studies. 2019;7(5):275-279.
51. Walker PJ, Mohan CV. Viral disease emergence in shrimp aquaculture: origins, impact and the effectiveness of health management strategies. Reviews in Aquaculture. 2009;1(2):125-154.
52. World Bank. Reducing Disease Risk in Aquaculture. Agricultural and Environmental Services Discussion Paper 09. Washington, DC: World Bank; 2014.
53. Yasin ISM, Mohamad A, Azzam-Sayuti M, Saba AO, Azmai MNA. Disease management in aquaculture. In: Management of Fish Diseases. 2025. p. 437-464.