Nutritional composition of raw and fried big-scale sand smelt (Atherina boyeri) from trasimeno lake

Alessandro Dal Bosco,Simona Mattioli,Simone Mancini,Alice Cartoni Mancinelli,Elisa Cotozzolo,Cesare Castellini

doi:10.1080/1828051x.2018.1548915

Alessandro Dal Bosco, Simona Mattioli + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.1080/1828051x.2018.1548915

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Abstract

The aim of this research was to investigate the nutritional composition of raw and fried big-scale sand smelt (Atherina boyeri) from Trasimeno Lake. Four hundred big-scale sand smelts were caught with nets and analysed immediately. We created a total of 20 batches with 20 whole fish in each batch. Ten batches were analysed as raw samples, while the other 10 batches were analysed after being fried in sunflower oil at a temperature of 190 °C for 3 min (deep fat frying). The pH, proximate composition, fatty acid profile, oxidative stability and nutritional indexes of both groups were assessed. As expected, cooking strongly influenced the characteristics of the meat, mainly in terms of lipids, which were seven times greater in the fried product due to the oil. Frying also affected the fatty acid profile of the meat because oil absorption caused a significant increase in oleic and linoleic acids. Furthermore, we found a slight reduction in long chain n-3 fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids). Frying increased oxidative processes and decreased the nutritional value of sand smelt. The obtained results can be considered preliminary because the effects of the fishing season and different physiological phases of sand smelt require further analytical confirmation.HighlightsThe aim of the research was to investigate the nutritional composition of raw and fried big-scale sand smelt (Atherina boyeri) from Trasimeno Lake.The fried big-scale sand smelt had a meat lipids content 7-times greater than the control, due to the oil adsorbition.Frying increased oxidative processes and decreased the nutritional value of big-scale sand smelt.

Highlights

Big-scale sand smelt (Atherina boyeri) is a euryhaline species that is present in brackish, fresh and marine waters
In Italy, big-scale sand smelt is autochthonous, and it is very common along the coasts of the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic Sea, especially in the Venetian lagoon
Sand smelt were introduced into Trasimeno Lake in 1920, which probably occurred inadvertently (Moretti 1959) with the juvenile stages of other species of commercial interest (Natali 2002)

Summary

Introduction

Big-scale sand smelt (Atherina boyeri) is a euryhaline species that is present in brackish, fresh and marine waters. It is present in a vast geographical area extending along the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov and the Caspian Sea. Sand smelt were introduced into Trasimeno Lake in 1920, which probably occurred inadvertently (Moretti 1959) with the juvenile stages of other species (mullet) of commercial interest (Natali 2002). Sand smelt were introduced into other Italian lakes such as Bracciano, Bolsena, Vico, Albano, Nemi, Fondi and Carinola (Bianco et al 2013). 19 species of fish are present, 5 of which are native (pike, cavedano chub, tench, rudd and eel), whereas many others are introduced species such as goldfish and topmouth gudgeon, which are fishes of commercial interest and European perch and largemouth bass, which are invasive and dangerous for the lake’s ecosystem (Lorenzoni et al 2015)

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