A nutritionist at the Meridian Medical Center in Ghana, Forzia Baidoo, has reportedly warned her countrymen against consuming fermented fish, or momoni as it is known in the Akan language for they have no value nutritionally.
The Fish Called Momoni
Momoni is defined as fish that has been salted for one to two days and fermented in tropical heat for six to ten hours before being sun-dried.
Momoni is a well-known ingredient to every local Ghanaian as it is being used in many traditional dishes. Momone is mostly used to enrich the flavor of stews and sauces. Its flavor is usually very appealing to all people who use them in their foods. Due to its level of concentration, much of it is not used as it could make the food salty.
The Warning
Ms. Baidoo has issued a stern warning about the dangers of eating too much salty seafood like momoni, kako, and koobi, which can lead to renal disorders. Ms. Baidoo claims that while these fermented fish (Momoni, Koobi) do add taste to dishes, they have no nutritional value.
Why Momoni is Harmful, according to Ms. Baidoo
In an interview broadcast yesterday on the GTV Morning Show, she added, “There are certain delicacies that we do consume in Ghana here, like the putrified fishes, the ones we call momoni, kako, and kobi.”
All of these items are high in sodium, so limit your intake as much as possible. Their nutritional value is limited to flavor enhancement. She warned that these flavors are extremely harmful to the kidneys.
She cautioned Ghanaians to limit their consumption of them because of the high sodium content, which poses a risk to the health of their kidneys. The kidneys play a critical role in waste removal, fluid management, and electrolyte regulation.
Kidney disease is a major health problem, but it’s only the 10th leading killer worldwide.
