Species differentiation by multivariate analysis of phospholipids from canned Atlantic tuna

Multivariate statistical analyses have been applied to different parameters regarding phospholipid classes with the aim of differentiating between three species of canned Atlantic tuna: albacore (Thunnus alalunga), bonito (Sarda sarda), and big eye tuna (Thunnus obesus). Using forward discriminant function analysis to generate classification functions, 14 variables were chosen, showing the content of the 20:4n-6 fatty acid in the phospholipid fraction, the highest value of Wilk's lambda. An excellent percentage of right classification in the three species groupings was obtained. The efficiency of the generated functions was tested using a set of canned tuna samples. Commercial albacore and bonito samples, samples caught during different years, and overprocessed samples were successfully identified employing this technique.