We are pleased to highlight a new publication by DFM researchers Huan Sun, Dr. Derek S. Johnson, and Dr. Rotimi E. Aluko, titled “Structural and functional properties of dried fish protein isolates,” published in AIMS Agriculture and Food (Vol. 10, Issue 3).
The article brings an important biochemical perspective to our understanding of dried fish by investigating the structural and functional behaviour of proteins derived from dried fish. Through laboratory-based analyses, the authors examine protein solubility, emulsifying and foaming capacities, and the molecular characteristics that shape how dried fish proteins perform in food systems. These findings help illuminate the ways dried fish can be incorporated into diverse food formulations, potentially enhancing nutrient intake and supporting broader strategies for addressing food and nutrition security.
This research speaks directly to the work of DFM Working Group 2 (WG2) on food and nutrition security, which focuses on the nutritional significance of dried fish and its role in the diets of low-income households across the Global South. While DFM also examines dried fish through social, cultural, and economic perspectives, this study turns attention to its biochemical nature, offering insights that deepen our understanding of dried fish as a concentrated source of accessible and bioavailable nutrients. By revealing the functional qualities of dried fish proteins, qualities that influence digestibility, stability, and potential for integration into value-added food products, the publication strengthens WG2’s mandate to highlight dried fish as a key, and often underrecognized, component of nutrition security, especially for women and children. By bridging food science with social-science perspectives, the article reinforces DFM’s commitment to interdisciplinary inquiry and underscores the importance of dried fish not only as a livelihood resource but as a vital contributor to global food and nutrition pathways.
Citation & link:
Sun, H., Johnson, D. S., Aluko, R. E., Sun, H., Johnson, D. S., & Aluko, R. E. (2025). Structural and functional properties of dried fish protein isolates. AIMS Agriculture and Food, 10(3), 770–789. https://doi.org/10.3934/agrfood.2025040