Smoked sardinella in Accra, Ghana. Credit score: Dr. James Robinson
Hidden in plain sight, dried fish are an missed but very important nutrient-packed superfood serving to to feed tens of millions of individuals throughout Africa, a brand new research reveals.
And new proof quantifies for the primary time the important vitamins in sun-dried and smoked fish in Africa, suggesting they might play an essential function in tackling malnutrition throughout the tropics—offered the fitting insurance policies are in place, researchers argue.
Dried fish are an reasonably priced and available meals throughout the tropics. But regardless of this prevalence, as a result of they’re typically produced by small-scale fisheries, and are often traded informally, little was recognized about how widespread this meals is produced, consumed and even how nutritious it’s. Till now.
Within the first large-scale investigation of dried fish consumption, a world group of researchers led by teachers at Lancaster College, gives proof that dried fish contributes considerably to the beneficial nutrient intakes for younger kids and girls—underlining their significance for world meals safety and diet.
The findings of the research are outlined within the paper “Dried fish provide widespread access to critical nutrients across Africa,” revealed in Proceedings of the Nationwide Academy of Science.
Utilizing modeling primarily based on information from the multinational Residing Requirements Measurements Examine performed in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda, the scientists behind the findings estimate that dried fish are eaten weekly by a 3rd of households in these nations, and are even consumed by 54% extra individuals than contemporary fish.
Dried fish are notably essential to the diets of these in poor households and close to to marine coastlines or city facilities. This, researchers say, reinforces the significance of defending fish catches for native consumption, moderately than for worldwide markets.
However the query remained—simply how nutritious are dried fish?
Solar-dried anchovy in Mombasa, Kenya. Credit score: Dr. James Robinson
The researchers examined the nutrient content material of a few of the most available dried fish in East and West Africa, in addition to the Indian Ocean, to find out their significance in offering nourishment.
They analyzed 19 species of fish, together with freshwater fish from the Nice Lakes (such because the Lake Victoria sardine) and marine species from West Africa (together with the Madeiran sardinella) and the Indian Ocean (corresponding to rabbitfish).
Evaluation of sun-dried and smoked fish revealed that dried fish are full of vitamins: even small quantities of dried fish contribute considerably to beneficial nutrient intakes for younger kids and girls.
Processing of fish by sun-drying and smoking concentrates important vitamins into smaller, shelf-stable parts, such that each one dried fish kinds have been discovered to have a better nutrient density than contemporary fish, for equal portion sizes, particularly for key minerals for public well being corresponding to iron and zinc.
The research reveals that small parts of dried fish contribute greater than 15% of the beneficial intakes of a number of important dietary vitamins, together with calcium, iodine, iron, selenium, zinc, nutritional vitamins B12 and D.
Vitamins should not equal for all fish. Powdered and smoked marine species, for instance, have excessive iron and omega-3 fatty acid concentrations, whereas freshwater species from Lake Victoria have comparatively increased calcium and zinc concentrations.
Dr. James Robinson, Leverhulme Analysis Fellow at Lancaster College’s Lancaster Setting Middle, mentioned, “Till now, the function and scale of dried fish in supporting meals safety and diet has typically been undervalued and hidden, limiting our understanding of how dried fish contribute to wholesome diets.
“Fish caught in oceans, lakes and rivers throughout Africa and Asia are dried, smoked or fried, offering giant provides of reasonably priced and nutritious meals that may be saved for lengthy intervals of time and simply transported.
“The widespread prevalence of highly-nutritious dried fish shows these foods play critical roles in food security and nutrition, particularly for vulnerable populations like women and children, households close to fisheries, and even in places distant from fisheries.”
Solar-dried anchovy in Mombasa, Kenya. Credit score: Dr. James Robinson
Dried fish wealthy in omega-3 fatty acids, iodine and selenium could possibly be powdered and blended with different meals merchandise to supply extremely nutritious meals for infants that can be utilized to deal with and forestall malnutrition, the researchers add.
Dr. Rucha Karkarey, of Lancaster College and co-author, mentioned, “Dried fish can fill nutrient gaps in seasonal seas, such as reef fish in Lakshadweep Islands that are caught and dried before the southwest monsoon. But here and across the tropics, policies are needed to protect supply for coastal communities against competing international markets.”
Marian Kjellevold, analysis professor on the Institute of Marine Analysis, Bergen, mentioned, “Excessive-quality analytical information on small processed fish is presently missing in most African meals composition tables, which limits our capacity to totally perceive and make the most of their dietary potential.
“This paper is an important step towards filling that gap, generating robust data that is essential for developing knowledge-based dietary guidelines and ensuring these nutrient-rich foods are used to improve public health.”
Dr. Shakuntala Thilsted, Senior Vitamin Knowledgeable, CGIAR mentioned, “Many nations look in direction of biofortification of staple crops as a method of boosting micronutrient consumption. The outcomes offered on this paper present that these vitamins are concentrated in dried small fish. Subsequently, we should be sure that dried fish are included in food-based dietary pointers.
“We must also use dried fish products in complementary feeding of young children, treatment of malnourished children, school feeding and food assistance programs.”
Extra info:
Dried fish present widespread entry to vital vitamins throughout Africa, Proceedings of the Nationwide Academy of Sciences (2025). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2426844122
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Dried fish—the hidden superfood very important for tens of millions of ladies and youngsters in Africa (2025, September 22)
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