Known for their stock fish and other seafood which are exported over a hundred countries around the world, Norwegian Seafood Council was in Nigeria last week to train Nigeria chefs on how to prepare various delicacies with stock fish and other seafood, including mackerel.
Most importantly, the Norwegians were in Lagos to create awareness about food safety, especially how to handle stock fish for safe human consumption.
The fish has to be handled in a hygienically the moment it leaves the port in Norway to when it reaches the hand of the consumer. These include how to store it during transportation and how to store it safely at home.
The visit of the Norway Seafood Council was a 2-day event which culminated in a seminar about the effects of contaminants and chemicals on dry fish and other seafood at Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos on November 6th 2019.
The seminar was attended by stakeholders in the hospital industry as well as top Nigeria government functionaries including the representatives of the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, the Comptroller General of Customs and NAFDAC.
The Minister speaking through Dr Ime Umoh, Director of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said the seminar would not have come on a better time than now, when various obnoxious chemicals are indiscriminately used in homes, food, fish and other farm produce either to preserve or modify their content to attract more prices.
He said spraying chemicals like sniper (substance banned by the EU and US on food) and fish is highly dangerous to health and thus lead to various health problems. He said the ministry appreciates the efforts of the Norwegian seafood council in creating awareness and assisting to proffer solution and alternatives to the eradication of pests on dried fish and storage facilities.
Speaking on Behalf of NAFDAC, Dr Tunde Sigbeku, Assistant Director, NAFDAC gave a comprehensive lecture on the need to end harmful practices in food handling and the inroads made by NAFDAC to arrest the situation.
Director, Central and West Africa, Norwegian Seafood Council, Trond Kostveit who led there team, went through the various stages of Rehydrating Norwegian Stockfish.
The four steps include, placing the stockfish in very cold water, soaking for five days and rehydrating fillets additional 2-3 days, then it is ready to cook. He said Nigeria is the second largest market for Norway after China.
Former Director, Department of Fisheries in Nigeria, Mrs Abiodun Cheke who a consultant for Nigerian Seafood Council stated that the two-day training of Nigerian chefs, was aimed at creating awareness on the safety of imported seafoods to Nigeria and the best way to prepare already preserved seafood that were imported from Norway.
According to her, Chefs were invited from some key hotels and restaurants in Nigeria to a chef seminar where we the focus was on the preparation of stockfish fish, mackerel and salmon.
The Seminar was also attended by top diplomats from Norway and Nigerian importers of Norwegian Seafood
