Comparison of Proximate Composition and Fatty Acid Profiles in Cultured and Wild Marine Fishes in Kuwait

Abstract

The proximate and fatty acid composition of cultured and wild silver pomfret (Pampus argenteus), grouper (Epinephelus coioides), blue fin sea bream (Sparidentex hasta), and yellow fin sea bream (Acanthopagrus latus) were evaluated. Wild sea breams had significantly higher muscle protein than cultured conspecifics, but no differences were observed among other species. Cultured silver pomfret and yellow fin sea bream had significantly (P < 0.05) higher muscle lipid than cultured conspecifics, while the opposite was true for grouper and blue fin sea bream. Saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and monosaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) in all fishes, whether farmed or wild, palmitic (C16:0), and oleic (C18:1 n−9) acids were the principal SFA and MUFA, respectively. Wild silver pomfret, grouper, and both the cultured sea breams contained significantly (P < 0.01) higher n−3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which were dominated by higher docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) content. All the cultured fish contained significantly higher eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and n−6 PUFAs. The n−3/n−6 ratios were significantly higher in all wild fishes compared to cultured specimens.