Polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish from Taihu Lake and the associated risk of ingesting polychlorinated biphenyls

Abstract

Fish contain high levels of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), a desirable attribute for healthy eating. However, persistent organic pollutants often accumulate in fish. We measured the concentrations of fatty acids in four carnivorous fish: Coilia ectenes taihuensis, Cultrichthys erythropterus, Paracanthobrama guichenoti, and Neosalanx taihuensis Chen, collected from Taihu Lake, China. In addition, we evaluated the benefit-risk of co-ingestion of polychlorinated biphenyls and EPA+DHA, the active components of PUFAs. Palmitic acid, oleic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid were the predominant fatty acids in all species. The nutritive value of all four species was high based on the ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids and n-6 to n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-6/n-3 PUFA). Our data suggest that ingestion of the recommended 250 mg EPA+DHA intake per day for a healthy adult via the consumption of any of the four species would likely not result in the risk of cancer.