Introduction

Anchovy is a small, common forage fish belonging to the Engraulidae family. Although many species can survive in brackish water and some species in South America are only found in freshwater, most species are found in marine environments.¹ 

A silver-coloured longitudinal stripe extending from the base of the caudal (tail) fin gives anchovies their distinctive blue reflections. Anchovies are small, green fish. Their adult lengths vary from 2 to 40 centimetres, and their body shapes are also variable, with more slender fish found in northern populations.The European anchovy, or Engraulis Encrasicolus, is a small, pelagic coastal marine fish that lives in large schools and is primarily found in the Mediterranean region, extending from the North Sea to central Africa. For the nations that border the Mediterranean Sea, this species represents a significant fishing and economic industry.² Anchovies can be processed and preserved traditionally by packing them in oil or salt after they have been gutted and salted in brine and allowed to cure. The meat becomes a deep grey colour and acquires a distinct, potent flavour as a result. Like Spanish boquerones, pickled in vinegar, anchovies have a milder flavour and their white flesh comes through. The base for the fermented fish sauce garum in Roman times was anchovies. Garum was produced in large quantities and had a shelf life that was adequate for long-distance trade. Scattered across 17 genera, the over 140 species can be found in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans as well as the Black and Mediterranean seas. Cleopsis and Xenosmilus, two large predatory stem-anchovies from the early and middle Eocene of the Tethys Ocean, which lived in Belgium and Pakistan, are the earliest known fossil records of relatives of anchovies. The term "saber-toothed anchovies"refers to these early relatives of anchovies, which are distinguished from the living Lycengraulis species by their large fangs. The stem-engrauline Engraulis from Monte Bolca, Italy's Early Eocene is the earliest known example of a true anchovy.³

The skin is made up of two main layers: the dermis and the epidermis. It is the largest organ in the human body, measuring about 2 m². The stratum papillare and stratum reticulare make up the dermis. The top layer, called the stratum papillare, is thick with slender collagen fibres. Thick collagen fibres make up the stratum reticulare, the bottom layer. Structures like nerve endings, sebaceous glands, hair follicles, and blood and lymphatic vessels are all embedded in the dermis. The primary cell type in the dermis are fibroblasts, which secrete collagen and elastin. The dermis also contains endothelial, nerve, and dendritic cells. The keratinocytes that make up the epidermis, the skin's outermost and most protective layer, are arranged into various layers according to the resident cells' differentiation status. Transiently amplifying cells that are capable of differentiating are found in the stratum basale, the lowest layer of the epithelium. In the process of differentiating into densely keratinized corneocytes, keratinocytes exit the cell cycle and start expressing markers that are specific to differentiation, such as keratins.⁴

The lipid-rich extracellular matrix (ECM), which serves as the skin's barrier, holds these cells together in the multilayered stratum corneum. The connection between nutrition and healthy skin has become more and more clear. The emergence of skin conditions as a result of dietary deficiencies serves as an example of this. Research validates the notion that oral supplements can enhance skin health, implying that combining them with topical application may have an additional, if not synergistic, effect on skin health. Moreover, selenium and omega-3 fatty acid consumption through diet help to prevent cutaneous Inflammation.⁵

Nutritional Profile of Anchovies

Anchovies are highly valuable economically and are packed with nutrients that are suitable for human consumption. Contains: 74 kcal energy, 10.3 grams protein, 1.4 gram fat, 4.1 grams carbohydrate, 972 mg calcium, 126.1 mg potassium, and 3.9 mg iron in 100 grams of fresh anchovies. Anchovies are packed with vitamins and minerals that are very beneficial to your health. The most well-known use for them is as a source of omega-3 fatty acids, which support heart and brain health. Anchovy oils have been found to be high in omega-3 fatty acids, specifically docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), as well as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA).

Selenium, which is also present in anchovies, may lower the risk of certain cancers if consumed on a regular basis. Protein, which is essential for tissue repair, muscle growth, and metabolism enhancement, is abundant in anchovies. Additionally, anchovies are a great source of calcium, selenium, potassium, vitamin B12, omega-3 fatty acids, niacin, and vitamin A.⁶

Mechanisms of Action

Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to slow the advancement of several inflammatory diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease and disorders of the skin and joints, when taken as a food or supplement.⁷ The lack of enzymes Δ5- and Δ6-FADS in the skin results in low production of LC-PUFA derivatives. Combining ω-6, gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), and ω-3 long-chain PUFA supplements appears to have the greatest potential for reducing inflammatory processes. This could be advantageous for the treatment of inflammatory skin conditions like acne, psoriasis, and atopic dermatitis.⁸ omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil, chromium, zinc, and selenium, and may also be beneficial for rosacea and inflammatory acne lesions.⁹

Drying Methods and Their Economic Role

Anchovies are tiny coastal fish that are present in a variety of habitats throughout the year. A variety of traditional foods, including dried, marinated, salted, smoked, and pickled anchovies, were also produced there. The anchovies are traditionally dried in the open sun for three to five days before being stored in conditions with ambient temperature. In the Arabian Gulf regions, the anchovies are typically caught using a trawling net beneath unsanitary conditions. Around the world, sun drying is a traditional method of fish preservation. Many nations generate revenue for their local communities through the drying of fish, particularly anchovies. Fish is physically dried by being exposed to hot air, which causes the moisture on its surface to evaporate into the atmosphere. This procedure, which is carried out in many communities and societies, can increase the shelf life of the products and yield the appropriate texture and flavour. Fish anchovies have a high moisture content, which causes accelerated deterioration. When handling and storing anchovy fish, moisture content has a significant impact on the fish's quality.¹⁰

Methods of Consumption

Anchovies continue to be the most popular fish caught in Turkey, having been a traditional product for many years. Industrialization has resulted from its suitability for additional processing, such as canning, marinating, salting, and processing to fish oil, among other methods. Additionally, anchovies are a popular side dish in many cuisines. The most liked ones are fried anchovies, anchovy soup, pickles, anchovies in rice, anchovies in olive oil, and anchovy composts. It can be added to a diet following specific procedures such as Cooking with fried food The fish was cooked at 160 to 180 degrees Celsius in a pan that was covered with sunflower oil. Baking: The fish were baked for 20 minutes at 160 and 180 °C in an electrical oven. Grilling: An electrical grill pan was used to carry out the grilling process.¹¹ Fish oil omega-3 extracts are highly desirable when they are made from fishery byproducts, which are leftovers from fish processing businesses and marine fisheries' discards that are available globally in several million tonnes annually. Because anchovies are among the most popular fish in the world, several governments have set quotas to prevent overfishing. Small pelagic sardines and anchovies make up one-third of the 1.2 million tonnes of fish that are caught in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean each year. Anchovies are processed to create costly and valuable fillets, but they are primarily used to make fish oil and animal feed. A recently introduced technique for obtaining valuable anchovy oil from leftovers from anchovy filleting uses d-limonene as the green biosolvent.¹²

Anchovies can have a high sodium content because the majority of them are cured. For instance, 72% of the DV for the mineral is found in a 2-ounce (45-gram) can of anchovies. The risk of high blood pressure increases when you consume excessive amounts of sodium. A person's sodium intake should be closely monitored if they have high blood pressure already, are diabetic, obese, have kidney disease, or are salt sensitive. Thoroughly cleaning your anchovies before consumption is an easy method to lower their sodium content. Anchovies could also contain domoic acid contamination. Amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP) is a condition that can result from this toxin and is marked by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, gastrointestinal distress, disorientation, confusion, and memory loss. Finally, consuming raw anchovies raises the possibility of developing anisakiasis, a parasitic infection brought on by the fish parasite Anisakis simplex. It may create allergic reactions, which frequently include an itchy rash, or gastrointestinal symptoms like fever, diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea, and abdominal pain. Thus, if at all possible, make sure to eat fully cooked anchovies, and if you suffer any of the symptoms listed above after consuming them, get medical help.¹³

Conclusion

In a nutshell, anchovies are small fishes with a wide range of health benefits. As it is rich in omega 3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals it is useful in many skin ailments. There are certain allergies caused by anchovies, so care should be taken while consuming it through the diet. It is assumed that further studies would be initiated to uncover other skin protection properties of anchovies.