Halogenated persistent organic pollutants in selected processed small fish species from Ghana

L Uhr; J Pucher; A Atter; A Jahnke; A Jährmann; M Kjellevold; K Simon; L Wessels; M Yamamoto; A Lüth

doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146771

Halogenated persistent organic pollutants in selected processed small fish species from Ghana

Food Chem. 2025 Dec 25;496(Pt 3):146771. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146771. Epub 2025 Oct 21.

Authors

L Uhr¹, J Pucher², A Atter³, A Jahnke¹, A Jährmann¹, M Kjellevold⁴, K Simon¹, L Wessels⁵, M Yamamoto¹, A Lüth⁶

Affiliations

¹ German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Department Safety in the Food Chain, Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10, 10589 Berlin, Germany.
² German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Department Experimental Toxicology and ZEBET, Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10, 10589 Berlin, Germany.
³ CSIR-Food Research Institute, P. O. Box M 20, Accra, Ghana.
⁴ Institute of Marine Research, P.O. Box 1870 Nordnes, 5817 Bergen, Norway.
⁵ German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Department Biological Safety, Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10, 10589 Berlin, Germany.
⁶ German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Department Safety in the Food Chain, Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10, 10589 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: Anja.Lueth@bfr.bund.de.

PMID: 41167077
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146771

Abstract

Small fish species plays an important role in ensuring food security and nutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa while limited data are available on environmental contaminants in these foods. Processed whole small fish (four marine and two freshwater species) were sampled at local food markets across Ghana and analyzed for the content of polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and -furans (PCDD/Fs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs). The content of persistent organic pollutants differed significantly between species. Total PFASs reached on average 5.7 μg/kg of processed West-African pygmy herring while African moonfish, European anchovy, bigeye grunt, round sardinella and tilapia showed average levels below 0.6 μg/kg of processed product. Marine fish species showed higher contamination levels of PCDD/Fs and PCBs than freshwater species. More data are needed to identify contamination sources, to estimate more representative exposure scenarios and to increase food safety and security.

Keywords: Africa; Dioxins; PCBs; PFASs; Persistent organic pollutants; aquatic foods; freshwater; ocean.

MeSH terms

Animals
Fish Products* / analysis
Fishes* / classification
Food Contamination* / analysis
Ghana
Persistent Organic Pollutants*
Polychlorinated Biphenyls / analysis
Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / analysis
Seafood* / analysis
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis

Substances

Polychlorinated Biphenyls
Persistent Organic Pollutants
Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins
Water Pollutants, Chemical