Dried fish provide widespread access to critical nutrients across Africa

Aquatic foods are essential in supporting food security and nutrition across the tropics, with "dried" fish particularly affordable, available, and nutritious. However, dried fish food systems are often hidden and overlooked due to data scarcity, limiting understanding of how dried fish contribute to nutrient intakes. Here, we combine nutrient analysis of fish samples with national household surveys from across East and West Africa to understand the importance of dried fish in diets. We find that small portions of dried fish contribute over 15% of recommended intakes for multiple essential dietary nutrients (calcium, iodine, iron, selenium, zinc, and vitamins B12 and D), with low heavy metal concentrations, and are consumed weekly by ~one-third of households in six countries (Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Malawi, Senegal, Tanzania, and Uganda) (~144 million people). Dried fish consumption was more prevalent than fresh fish, reaching 54% more people, particularly those in poor households and near to marine coastlines or urban centers. The widespread prevalence of nutritious dried fish suggests that these foods and their distribution networks play critical roles in food security and nutrition, even in households distant from fisheries or urban centers. Dried fish can fill nutrient gaps across the tropics but will require policies that mitigate negative effects of overfishing, environmental changes, and competition with international markets, while providing postharvest support to fish processors.

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Publication Details

Journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Published
2025-09-22
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2426844122
Citations
2
Primary Topic
Child Nutrition and Water Access
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
2.24
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article

Dried fish provide widespread access to critical nutrients across Africa

Sarah M. Martin, Rucha Karkarey, Kathryn J. Fiorella, Johnstone O. Omukoto et al.
2 citations
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Child Nutrition and Water Access
2.24
article

Dried fish provide widespread access to critical nutrients across Africa

Sarah M. Martin, Rucha Karkarey, Kathryn J. Fiorella, Johnstone O. Omukoto, Christina C. Hicks, Jessica A. Gephart, Nicholas A. J. Graham, James P. W. Robinson, Kendra Byrd, Eva Maire, Shakuntala H. Thilsted, Marian Kjellevold, Naftaly Mwangi Mwirigi, Antonio Allegretti, Lydia O’Meara, Christopher Mulanda Aura, Tarron Lamont, Richard Stephen Ansong, Sophie Standen
article en
2 citations

Abstract

Aquatic foods are essential in supporting food security and nutrition across the tropics, with "dried" fish particularly affordable, available, and nutritious. However, dried fish food systems are often hidden and overlooked due to data scarcity, limiting understanding of how dried fish contribute to nutrient intakes. Here, we combine nutrient analysis of fish samples with national household surveys from across East and West Africa to understand the importance of dried fish in diets. We find that small portions of dried fish contribute over 15% of recommended intakes for multiple essential dietary nutrients (calcium, iodine, iron, selenium, zinc, and vitamins B12 and D), with low heavy metal concentrations, and are consumed weekly by ~one-third of households in six countries (Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Malawi, Senegal, Tanzania, and Uganda) (~144 million people). Dried fish consumption was more prevalent than fresh fish, reaching 54% more people, particularly those in poor households and near to marine coastlines or urban centers. The widespread prevalence of nutritious dried fish suggests that these foods and their distribution networks play critical roles in food security and nutrition, even in households distant from fisheries or urban centers. Dried fish can fill nutrient gaps across the tropics but will require policies that mitigate negative effects of overfishing, environmental changes, and competition with international markets, while providing postharvest support to fish processors.

Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesVol. 122(39)
Family Health International 360 (US), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), University of Leeds (GB), University of Ghana (GH), University of Washington (US), Cornell University (US), Norwegian Institute of Marine Research (NO), Marine Biodiversity Exploitation and Conservation (FR), Natural Resources Institute (GB), Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KE), University of Greenwich (GB), Lancaster University (GB)
Openalex Percentile: Top 12%
Child Nutrition and Water Access
2.24
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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