Determination of fat composition in the meats of tilapia and Nile perch fishes collected from Blue Nile and White Nile, Sudan

Abstract

Fish provides a good source of high quality protein and contains many of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K), mineral elements and antioxidant. This study determined the fat composition in the meats of two popular fish species that were brought from the fish market of Wad Medani City (Blue Nile samples; BN), and from Kosti fish market (White Nile samples, WN). The preparation of fish meat-fat and fat composition (through GC-MS), were run in the Food Analysis Laboratory, and the Central Laboratory - University of Gezira. The results showed that, Hexadecanoic acid was detected in WN Nile Perch (3.01%) and Tilapia (13.37%), whereas BN samples did not contain this fatty acid. Eicosanoic acid appeared in only BN samples: Tilapia (9.60%) and perch (2.12), Oleic acid (omega 9) appeared only in WN samples (it was 4.01% in NP, and 16.54% in T. Octadecanoic acid (Streaic acid) was appeared in all BN and WN samples (it was 8.45% in BN Perch, 1.6% in BN Tilapia, 1.60% in WN Tilapia and 0.29% in WN Perch). The more abundant fatty acids was Oleic acid (total sum 20.55%), then Hexadecanoic acid (16.38%). From the proposed results, the feasibility of local production of fish oils for human consumption should be done.