Lipid content and fatty acid composition of the flesh of fish from fisheries and farming

Fish are the main supplier of n-3 (or omega 3) highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) in human food. HUFA content increases with the lipid content of fish muscle. There are huge differences in muscle lipid content among fish species (from less than 1 g/100 g to up to 15-18 g/100 g) resulting in great difference in HUFA content. This is due to the capacity of the muscle tissue for fat storage irrespective of the species origin, from fisheries or farming. In fatty species from fisheries, fat content varies widely with season, depending on food availability, water temperature and sexual status of fish. Flesh composition of farmed fish is more stable over the year because fish from farming can be tailored through feeding and rearing practices. Muscle fatty acid profile reflects that of the food i.e. that of the whole aquatic food chain (phyto- and zooplancton) for fish from fisheries and dietary lipid sources for farmed fish. (C) 2009 Societe francaise de nutrition. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.