Abstract
The objective of this study was to compare the composition of fatty acids in the garfish ( Belone belone ) white muscle removed from parasitized and non parasitized specimens. The chemical analysis results revealed low contents of total fatty acids for both parasitized and non-parasitized specimens. Their values, less than 2 g/100 g of fresh muscle, allowed the classification of the garfish as a lean fish. High ratios of saturated fatty acids were found in the garfish muscle reaching 58.4% of total fatty acids. These fatty acids were represented mainly by lauric, miristic and palmitic at a level of 50.3%. As a lean fish, garfish contains 16% polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3). Two major fatty acids are docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic with respective percentages of 9 and 1.17% of total fatty acids. The parasitized garfish showed increase in their fatty acids, mainly in pentadecanoic, pentadecenoic, docosahexaenoic and arachidonic acids and decreases in saturated acids especially lauric, miristic and palmitic. This drop is correlated with a very significant increase in PUFA from 16 to 26% of total fatty acids. In order to obtain 0.5 g/day of EPA + DHA, the amount of garfish required is 641 g of non-parasitized and 436 g parasitized fish. Key words: Garfish, blood-sucking, parasite, parasitized fish, fatty acid analysis, Tunisia.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.