Micronutrient enrichment of meals fed to pupils using highly nutritious and low cost underutilized fish under the school feeding programme in Ghana

Abstract

Four underutilized fish species, namely Woevi, or one-man-thousand, (Sierathrissa leonensis), Flying Gurnard (Dactylopterus volitans), Common Bogue (Boops boops) and Anchovies (Anchoa guineensis); as well as Tuna frames obtained as factory remnants, were either solar-dried or mechanically dried and milled into dry powder. The powders were analysed for their proximate and mineral composition, biochemical and microbiological status, in addition to sensory and shelf life tests. Characterisation of the fish species showed that the selected fish are of high nutritional value in either human food supplements or formulations, with high protein content and optimal amino acid profile, abundance of polyunsaturated fatty acids, and high in micronutrients, particularly minerals. It showed the potential of these products for food supplementation in the school feeding programme, although generally these products might be regarded as fish for the poor. The sensory evaluation showed that the school children rated all the foods fortified with the fish powders well on the positive side of the hedonic scale. All the foods were accepted by the children, in particular banku with Anchovies and okro stew, rice with Tuna frames stew and rice with Flying gurnard stew