It is a known practice that fishermen on Ugandan waters go out fishing the Nile Perch (locally known as empuuta), which is endowed with lots of fat. Fishermen sell the Nile Perch to fish processors who are interested only in the fillet thereby dumping the fat as waste.
However experts in fisheries science say the Nile Perch fat should not be disposed of as waste because of its rich health benefits to humans.
The scientists contend that consuming the fish alone is an important source of omega-3 fatty acids. These essential nutrients keep our heart and brain healthy.
Fish oil contains two of the omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). They are part of the several omega-3 fatty acids. These are believed to benefit the cardiovascular system. The omega-3 fatty acids are known to lower the risk of heart disease.
Omega-3 fatty acids are also vital for improving vision and eye health. This is because the brain and eyes are heavily concentrated with omega-3 fatty acids and need them to keep healthy and well-functioning. Fish is one of the best sources of these healthy fats.
Scientists at Aquaculture Research and Development Centre Kajjansi, Wakiso district near Kampala, have developed a technology of processing the Nile Perch fish fat into medicinal oil which is turned into capsule form, This will reduce or stop the fat wastage and provide medicinal benefits to people.
Fish fat to fish oil
Dr Victoria Namulawa Tibenda, head of the institute and leader of Aquaculture and Fish Biosciences programme, said most of the Nile Perch in Uganda is exported as fillet. What happens to other parts of the fish such as bones, fat, skin and scales among others?
According to Dr Tibenda, all parts of Tilapia fish have nutritional value including the bones. Her team is exploring prospects of adding value to other fish parts.
The team is currently processing the fish oil, which will be converted into capsules which will be easy for people to swallow because the oil contains a repugnant smell.
Dr Tibenda advises it is important for Ugandans to consume omega acid in fish oil rather than from medicine sold in pharmacies and hospitals.
She says that ideally a person should consume 23kg of fish per year but Ugandans consume less than 10kg annually.
Currently, what is available is the processed fish oil which has been packaged in 100ml for Shs10, 000.
Dr Tibenda says the team has already acquired the equipment for processing the capsules and production will begin soon.
Processing
Fred Wanda, a research assistant at the institute, explained how the fish oil is processed. He noted that the team obtains the fat from fish factories. The fat is removed from clean fish considered Grade A standard.
Fat is transported in refrigerated containers and the team checks its temperature, contamination level and smell to ensure freshness.
The fat material is then prepared for steam extraction where it is heated for filtration of pure oil.
Then there is enzyme treatment, stabilisation, double filtration including mixture of flavour ingredients added to the oil to neutralise or mitigate the smell. Once this is done, the processing of aliquots in bottles is done and the same filtration is used for processing the capsules
Capsulating using a machine makes the capsules hot, but they are later cooled in a cooling equipment before it is packaged into bottles.
Wanda contends that his team is waiting for two components of the fish oil capsulation equipment and the processing work is expected to start before end of year.
He says many people come to the institute to purchase the bottled oil mainly the elderly suffering from bone related complications. He says the beneficiaries have attested that the fish oil has helped them.
Health and farmer benefits
Apart from enhancing vision, there are other benefits such as fighting diseases like Arthritis, making the skin glow, improving bone structures, provision of pure nutrition which helps children with sickle cells and hypertension.
The oil also helps in preventing or reducing the risk of dementia among alcohol abusers.
Brain cells that are exposed to a mixture of fish oil and alcohol have 95 percent less neuroinflammation and neuronal death compared to brain cells that are exposed to only alcohol.
Oily fish consumption may offer protection against early and late stage oral and skin cancer. Scientists have discovered that Omega-3 fatty acids selectively inhibit the growth of menacing and pre-malignant cells at doses that do not affect the normal cells.
Consuming oily fish during the last months of pregnancy can have positive effects on a child’s sensory, cognitive, and motor development.
According to a review published in the American Journal of Cardiology, fish consumption is associated with a lower risk of fatal and total coronary heart disease. Fish is high in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids which can reduce inflammation, help protect your heart, and stave off chronic diseases.
Other benefits include creating jobs for fish farmers since the Nile Perch will be on higher demand because of its fat which has been hitherto thrown away as waste. Some farmers will be sensitised to process clean fat for the readily available market.