Consumption and physico-chemical characteristics of smoked and smoked-dried fish commonly produced in South Benin and contribution to recommended nutrient intakes.

The work aims to assess the consumption and the physico-chemical characteristics of smoked fish and smoked-dried fish commonly produced and consumed in the South Benin. The consumption data were obtained from a survey involving 250 consumers, conducted in selected production localities of the Southern part of Benin, where 36 samples of smoked fish and smoked-dried fish were collected. The highest protein contents (dry matter) were recorded in Cypselurus cyanopterus (85.1 ± 2.3%) and Sphyraena barracuda (84.5 ± 4.2%), while the highest lipid contents were recorded in Scomber scombrus (39.0 ± 9.2%) and Ethmalosa fimbriata (22.1 ± 6.3%). Smoked and smoked-dried fish produced in South Benin contained 0.1%-12.5% (of total fatty acids) eicosapentaenoic acid and 0.1%-33.2% docosahexaenoic acid, which are the most abundant omega 3 polyunsaturated acids in these fish products. The median consumption of smoked fish (60.2 g/day) and smoked-dried fish (18.2 g/day) contributed for 112% (281.1 mg) and 72% (180.4 mg), respectively, to the adult daily recommended intake of sum of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (250 mg/day). The daily protein intake related to the consumption of smoked fish and smoked-dried fish corresponded to 36% and 24%, respectively, of the recommended intake suggested by European Food Safety Authority (0.8 g/kg.bw/day).