Fish as a source of (micro)nutrients to combat hidden hunger in Zambia

Nils Nölle (), Sven Genschick (), Klaus Schwadorf (), Holger Hrenn (), Sonja Brandner () and Hans Konrad Biesalski ()
Additional contact information
Nils Nölle: Institute of Nutritional Science
Sven Genschick: WorldFish Zambia Office
Klaus Schwadorf: University of Hohenheim
Holger Hrenn: University of Hohenheim
Sonja Brandner: University of Hohenheim
Hans Konrad Biesalski: Institute of Nutritional Science

Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, 2020, vol. 12, issue 6, No 13, 1385-1406

Abstract: Abstract Fish is an excellent source of protein, but can also be a good source of micronutrients. In Zambia fish is the main animal food source for poor women and children, two groups which are likely to suffer from inadequate micronutrient supply (hidden hunger). Although the potential of fish to combat hidden hunger is increasingly recognized and fisheries and aquaculture have been identified as key resources in addressing food and nutrition security issues in Zambia, only limited information on the nutrient composition of consumed fish species and products is available. Thus the objectives of this paper are to give a quantitative description of the nutritional composition of fish and fish products consumed in Zambia, and to estimate their potential to the Recommended Daily Intakes (RDIs) of micronutrients. Therefore approximately forty fish species in various kinds of processing were collected and prepared following local customs. Samples were analysed for macronutrients such as protein and fat. Contents of B-vitamins and minerals were also analysed. Protein content was overall similar, while fat content and fatty acid composition varied considerably. Most fish contained high amounts of niacin and cobalamin, but small fish usually contained the most cobalamin. Small fish contained up to 32 times the amount of calcium than other fish and often contained more iron and zinc, too. Overall small fish species, which are commonly consumed by poor women and children, can be used to combat hidden hunger in Zambia, due to high levels of cobalamin, calcium, iron and zinc.

Keywords: Hidden hunger; Malnutrition; Micronutrients; Zambia; Fish; Fish products (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12571-020-01060-9 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:ssefpa:v:12:y:2020:i:6:d:10.1007_s12571-020-01060-9

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer. ... ulture/journal/12571

DOI: 10.1007/s12571-020-01060-9

Access Statistics for this article

Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food is currently edited by R.N. Strange

More articles in Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food from Springer, The International Society for Plant Pathology
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().