Design and construction of AFSMO-150, an improved fish smoking oven

Abstract

AFSMO – 150, an improved fish-smoking oven was developed at the Food Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) of Ghana under the Agro-Processing Programme of the Agricultural Services Subsector Investment Project (AgSSIP). The total cost of construction of the oven was ¢2 500 000 (approximately US$280). It exhibited various advantages over the popular chorkor smoker because of its cost effectiveness and efficiency. The design eliminated the laborious interchanging of tray positions, reduced heat loss and eliminated tar deposition on the fish. AFSMO-150 (AgSSIP/FRI Smoking Oven) is an enclosed rectangular shaped structure composed of three basic units of two firing sections, a cooking/smoking chamber and a chimney. It could be fired by either firewood, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) or a combination of the two. Test run of the oven with firewood fuel on mackerel showed temperature distribution with highest temperature difference of 29 oC at 90th minute and maximum temperature of 195 oC at 110th minute of operation; a smoking capacity of 150 kg of fresh fish per batch at 3 hours, fuel consumption of 39.5 kg of firewood (i.e. unit fuel consumption rate of 0.33 kg of firewood/kg of smoked fish); 80.6 percent yield with 19.4 percent moisture loss. Microbiological analyses indicated a final fish product devoid of faecal coliforms, spoilage and food poisoning micro-organisms – hence a product safe for human consumption