Some nutritionally important fatty acids in seven varieties of fish eaten in Sri Lanka

Abstract

The component acids of lipids extracted from the edible portions of seven marine species Sardinella longiceps, Rastrelliger kanaguria, Thunnus albacares, Scomberomorus commersoni, Caranx stellatus, Carcharhinus sp. and Raja mamillidens and one fresh water species Tilapia mossambica have been determied by gas liquid chromotography. Palmitic (C:0), palmitoleic (C 16:1), oleic (C18:1), cicosapentaenoic EPA (C 20:5 n-3) and docsahexaenoic, DHA (C 22:1 n-3) Were the most abundant fatty acids. The small pelagics have a higher content of EPA and DHA and a higher P/S ratio than the larger and more expensive pelagic species