Abstract
Lipid classes and fatty acid composition of three commercially important freshwater fish species Oreochromis mossambicus (Mozambique tilapia), Clarias gariepinus (African catfish) and Cyprinus carpio (carp) obtained from an aquaculture, different river systems and fish markets from different provinces in South Africa were investigated. Fatty acids were extracted from the fish fillets through the Folch extraction method (using chloroform: methanol at the ratio of 2:1). Generally, tilapia fish species was found to be the richest in fatty acid composition. In all fish species analysed, palmitic acid (16:0) was found to be the most abundant fatty acid ranging from 18.24 to 21.84%. Appreciable quantities of essential polyunsaturated fatty acid such as docosahexaenoic (DHA) (22:6 n-3, 3.92 to 6.16%), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (20:5 n-3, 1.91 to 2.92%) and arachidonic acid (20:4 n-6, 7.19 to 8.50%) were also found. Observations show that fish species obtained from Gauteng Province are richer in fatty acids compared to those in Limpopo Province. The study points out that all fish species investigated contain appreciable levels of Omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and are therefore suitable for an unsaturated low-fat diet. This is important especially for poor communities who cannot afford to get a balanced diet, rich in some essential fatty acids.Therefore, it is important to determine the nutritional value of local fish, since it significantly contribute to a healthy diet in rural communities.
Highlights
Developments in chromatographic separation have led to a better understanding of the complexity of lipids from various origins (Brondz et al, 1983)
Several literature reports show that fish oil contains relatively high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in nature, with freshwater fish containing elevated levels of Omega-6, while marine fish arecharacterised by high concentration of Omega-3 (Gunstone, 1996; Steffens, 1997)
From all fish species analysed, cultured fish have been shown to be of the best quality in terms of their fatty acid composition compared to other fish species obtained from the natural river systems. They have low levels of fatty acid composition compared to the ones from Gauteng, the results show that fish species from Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces still possess significant amounts of essential fatty acids which can be used as a diet supplement
Summary
Developments in chromatographic separation have led to a better understanding of the complexity of lipids from various origins (Brondz et al, 1983). Several literature reports show that fish oil contains relatively high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in nature, with freshwater fish containing elevated levels of Omega-6, while marine fish arecharacterised by high concentration of Omega-3 (Gunstone, 1996; Steffens, 1997) These differences are linked to the lipid composition of the planktons they feed on (Gunstone, 1996; Gutierrez and Da Silva, 1993). These diseases and other related health problems are linked to an overproduction of eicosanoids and docosanoids which tend to affect the fluidity, flexibility and permeability of the cell membranes resulting in blood clotting in the nerves (British Nutrition Foundation, 1992; Connor, 2000; Kantogiannea et al, 2000) These findings have created a new market for fish oil as a food and dietary supplement to reduce the risk of attack by various diseases (Ackman, 1989). Fish quality in those ecosystems is important for rural communities since it contributes to a healthy diet
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