Serving Local Fish in School Meals: The Nutritional Importance of Consuming Oily Fish

Sara Bonanomi,Alessandro Colombelli,Antonello Sala,Riccardo De Angelis,Bruno Bucciarelli

doi:10.3390/su11143990

Sara Bonanomi, Alessandro Colombelli + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su11143990

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Journal: Sustainability	Publication Date: Jul 23, 2019
Citations: 5	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: National Research Council, Joint Research Centre

Abstract

The European Food and Nutrition Action Plan 2015–2020 encourages Member States to promote local affordable and healthy dietary initiatives to support a sustainable food system, particularly in schools and public institutions where advertising on eating behaviour and food preferences is needed. In Italy, the promotion of healthy and sustainable diets, including the consumption of oily fish, is at an early stage. Based on the success of a unique Italian educational campaign in school lunch programmes, the aim of the present study was to compare the nutritional composition of locally caught anchovy and of imported frozen fillets of farmed Vietnamese pangasius, to observe the potential implications of this dietary substitution. Anchovy showed a significantly higher fatty acid and protein content than pangasius, and contained five times more lipids, mainly n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. As previous studies confirmed, a diet providing large amounts of these fats is therefore recommended especially during childhood. The present findings highlight the high nutritional value and healthiness of serving locally caught fish in school meals, which plays a strong role in teaching good dietary habits for a lifetime. Further initiatives are needed to encourage responsible fish consumption during early life to promote a sustainable food system.

Highlights

Fish and seafood are major sources of important nutrients, such as essential fatty acids, proteins, vitamins, and micro-and macroelements [1]. They are high in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), mainly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which provide documented health benefits, for instance by helping to reduce the risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, age-related decline in multiple cognitive domains [2,3,4] and to enhance fetal development [5,6]
Saturated Fatty Acids (SFA), Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFA), PUFA, and ammonia concentrations, protein content, and pH values were visualised in a heat map using hierarchical clustering analysis and subjected to the Kruskal-Wallis test
The results of the chemical analyses of fishermen in the Adriatic Sea (FHA), fishermen in the Adriatic Sea (FRA) and from a supermarket (FRP) are reported as mean ± the standard deviation

Summary

Introduction

Fish and seafood are major sources of important nutrients, such as essential fatty acids, proteins, vitamins, and micro-and macroelements [1] They are high in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), mainly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which provide documented health benefits, for instance by helping to reduce the risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, age-related decline in multiple cognitive domains [2,3,4] and to enhance fetal development [5,6]. Fish, such as anchovy, sardine, mackerel and tuna-like have been linked to many of these health benefits [7,8]. Eating locally, especially in school meal programmes would encourage fish consumption during childhood and would strengthen local communities and economies

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