Characterization of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in tropical species of fish

1994

Santos, E.E.M.; Cabrera, M.A.

Significant amounts of palmitic (C16:0), stearic (C18:0), oleic (C18:1), linoleic (C18:2), and linolenic (C18:3), arachidic (C20:0), eicosenoic (CsO:1) eicosadienoic (C20:2) acids were identified in the fish samples while palmitoleic (C16:1), eicosatrienoic (C20:3), enucic (C22:1) and nervoric (C24:1) acids were found in trace quantities. Among the fatty acids identified, C16:0 was richest in Katsuwonus pelamis, Decapterrus macrosoma, Elagatus bipinnulatus, Thunnus albacares, Saurida tumbil and Priacanthus tavenus, with values of 6.30, 1.49, 0.44, 3.07, 5.73 and 1.02, respectively, while C16:1 was most abundant in Sardinella longiceps (1:01 mg/g). The presence of C18:0 was most noticeable in Nemipterus japonicus (0.31 mg/g), Rastrelliger brachysoma (0.23 mg/g) and Cypselurus opisthopus while the occurrence of C18:3 was most abundant in the white muscles of Auxis thazard, Selar crumenophthalmus, and Trichiurus lepturus with values of 0.28, 0.51 and 0.68 mg/g, respectively. Oleic (C18:1) acid, on the other hand, was highest in Theraponjarboa, Selaroides leptolepis, Formio niger, and Sphyraena jello with values of 0.47, 0.33, 0.72, and 0.36 mg/g, respectively, while the highest in C18:2 was Gnathodon speciousus (0.36 mg/g). Arachidic acid (C20:0) was highest in the red muscle of A. thazard (0.82 mg/g) while C20:1 was greatest in the white muscle of A. thazard (0.28 mg/g) and in Sphyraena obtusata (0.68 mg/g). Megalapsis cordyla exhibits the highest C20:3 (0.66 mg/g). Although not the predominating fatty acid in any of the twenty species, C20:2, C22:1 and C24:1 were detected either in appreciable or in trace quantities in most of these species. The presence of linolenic acid (C18:3), the precursors of omega-3 fatty acids, such as eicosapantaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid, suggests the possibility that omega-e-fatty acids exists in significant amounts in these 20 tropical species of fish

[U.P. Research Digest (Philippines)]

1999/PH/PH1999_0.rdf