FAO.org

Smoked fish is an important animal protein source in Ghana. However, the traditional method by which the commodity is produced leads to high levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH, a food safety hazard) in the commodity. This predisposes consumers to potential health challenges linked to PAH exposure in food. The extent to which that is the case in Ghana was evaluated by screening smoked fish on informal markets in the country for the hazard. Since the FAO-Thiaroye fish processing technique (FTT) has been demonstrated to address the PAH problem, it was further evaluated against traditional kilns in that respect. Consumer acceptance of smoked products from the FTT versus the traditional kilns was also evaluated. The findings demonstrated the high PAH levels associated with traditional kilns, and the efficacy of the FTT in that regard. Consequently, a risk assessment showed that should FTT be used instead of traditional kilns to smoke fish in the Ghana, consumers will be protected from PAH public health risks related to smoked fish consumption. It was also found that overall, consumers are likely to accept products from the new kiln since they did not show a significant preference for traditional kiln products.