Smoking of fish: a critical review

Fish smoking is a very popular processing method in Europe, Africa and the Far East, where smoked fish and meat are relished as a delicacy. Smoked fish is fish that has been cured by smoking. Smoking, one of the oldest preservation methods, combines the effects of salting, drying, heating and smoking. The process of smoking fish occurs through the use of fire. Fish is one of the protein foods that need careful handling. However, due to poor handling, about 30–50% of fish harvested are wasted in Nigeria and similar trends are obtained in other developing nations. In order to obtain a product with good quality characteristics, it is essential to understand the mechanisms involved during the smoking process, so that the impact of smoke into the fish products can be maximized. The purpose of this study is to review literature findings on smoking of fish. The review also aims to draw the attention of stakeholders including decision makers on the need to assess the health risks associated with consumption of smoked fish products and consequently, the necessary measures and steps to reduce such risks in order to have a safer food for the consumers.