Fermentation of fish in West Africa and societal challenges for qualitative improvement of the products (adjuevan, guedj and lanhouin): A review

Abstract

Fish is the main source of animal protein in the coastal areas of West Africa, including Benin, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal. The problem of the conservation and storage of landed fish is a major societal challenge in these countries because of the lack of industrial infrastructures. Traditional food processing is then the only way for fish preservation and reduction of post-capture losses. Various local processed fish such as adjuevan (Côte d’Ivoire), lanhouin (Benin) and guedj (Senegal), whose processes include salting, fermentation and drying, are available to consumers. They are generally used as condiments or sometimes as major sources of animal protein to enrich the nutritional intake of local cereal-based foods. Traditional technologies are inexpensive because of the rudimentary equipment used. The non-standardization of production techniques including fermentation, usually spontaneous, contributes to a very fluctuating quality. This synthesis study highlights the different fermentation approaches leading to the various targeted products, the physico-chemical and microbiological characteristics of these products, the initiatives of quality improvement mainly based on the use of starters as well as societal challenges (strengthening research, local actors training, marketing support) for economic growth.