The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations has highlighted that parts of fish such as the head, bones, and trimmings, which constitute 30 to 70 percent of the entire fish, are abundant in micronutrients. This information was revealed in the FAO's report, "In Brief: The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2024. Blue Transformation in Action," accessed by the Ghana News Agency.

The report emphasizes that aquatic foods are among the healthiest dietary options, contributing to better public health outcomes. It notes that consuming whole fish provides essential nutrients, including omega-three fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins, and remains relatively affordable, making nutritious food accessible to low-income populations.

"During processing, many fish parts typically deemed inedible, such as the head, bones, skin, scales, and trimmings, are often discarded, though they make up 30–70 percent of the fish's weight," the report states.

The FAO explains that these parts are rich in micronutrients and can be transformed into affordable, nutritious products through simple, low-cost technologies like drying, smoking, fermentation, and milling.

"FAO supports home-grown school feeding programmes to utilize aquatic foods derived from underutilized small fish or fish powders made from fisheries by-products," the report continues. Examples include the successful use of dried fish powder made from tuna frames in Ghana and fish cake from whole tilapia in Guatemala for school meals.

Utilizing whole fish, the FAO notes, enhances the micronutrient content of meals, reduces meal costs, and minimizes environmental impact.

However, the FAO also points out that promoting the consumption of aquatic foods and raising public awareness about their nutritional benefits remains challenging without comprehensive and up-to-date data on the composition of these foods.

To address this issue, the FAO has developed a global nutrient conversion table for its Supply Utilisation Accounts, based on national or regional food composition data. This table provides necessary data to generate statistics on aquatic foods, including their energy, micronutrient, polyunsaturated, and omega-three fatty acid content.

Additionally, a three-year FAO-led project is underway to update the International Network of Food Data Systems, aiming to expand information on the nutrient composition of small fish species, processed fish, and algae.

Source by www.ghanaweb.com