Improving the safety of smoked fish through kiln design the case of FAO-Thiaroye technique in Ghana

Abstract

Smoked fish is a major source of animal protein for Ghanaians. However, traditional methods for processing the commodity potentially expose consumers to food safety risks. The methods typically rely on burning wood as fuel to cook and flavour fish. This practice is known to result in high amounts of carcinogens known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the smoked fish, with the consequence that the products could endanger public health and have reduced market access. An innovative processing system, called the F AO-Thiaroye Processing Technique (FTT), was launched in 2014 in Ghana to address concerns linked to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. It was envisaged that the design characteristics ofFTT and its reliance on alternative fuel use would reduce polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons levels in smoked fish. This study therefore investigated the efficacy of the innovation through comparative fish smoking tests between FTT and the traditional kilns. Data obtained show that products from traditional kilns had polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons levels up to 33 times the globally referenced European Union maximum limits for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons regulation, whereas products from FTT had lower values than European Union maximum limits. The results demonstrate the efficacy of FTT to reduce polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in smoked fish and thus improve the safety and market access of the products