Abstract Full Text:PDF Recommended articles Mail to Author How to Cite

¹ University of Madeira, Faculty of Sciences and Engineering, 9000-390 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
² Mariculture Center of Calheta, Vila da Calheta, 9370-133 Calheta, Madeira, Portugal
³ Fisheries Directorate Services, Estrada da Pontinha, 9000-017, Funchal, Madeira, Portugal DOI : 10.4194/1303-2712-v18_8_04 Viewed : 4055 - Downloaded : 4046 Almaco jack (Seriola rivoliana) is an emergent marine finfish that presents high market value. In order to study the feasibility of the exploitation of this marine resource for human consumption the evaluation of the nutritional characteristics of this species has attracted the attention of the scientific community. The lipid characteristics and fatty acid composition were evaluated in muscle, liver and gonad tissues of wild Almaco jack from Atlantic Ocean at two different maturation stages. According to results, the lipid content was found higher at pre-spawning stage (21.78 - 36.17%) and highest proportion being exhibited in the liver. Palmitic acid was predominant among the saturated fatty acids (35.42 - 47.80%) and oleic acid was detected as the main monounsaturated acid (25.26 - 36.55%). Higher amounts of ω3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) were identified in gonads of resting females, of which more than 84% was accounted by docosahexaenoic acid (12.62%). Muscle and liver of resting females presented the highest ω3/ω6 ratios. The Hypocholesterolemic/Hypercholesterolemic index was higher in gonads of both maturation stages (0.97 and 1.05). The results showed that wild Almaco jack at resting stage were a better source of oleic acid and ω3 PUFAs and that liver and gonads present good nutritional by-products. Keywords : Lipids, fatty acid profile, maturation stages, Hypocholesterolemic/Hypercholesterolemic index