Variability of fat, water and protein content in the flesh of beaked redfish (Sebastes mentella) and Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) from artic fishing grounds

Beaked redfish (Sebastes mentella) and Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) were collected from fishing grounds of the Barents Sea to study the composition and lipid distribution of the muscle tissue. The belly flaps of beaked redfish showed higher lipid contents (mean 4.6%) compared to anterior dorsal muscle. The protein content was relatively constant in all parts (18–19%). The variation in the muscle lipid composition among individual redfish was greater than the variation among different anatomical locations of the fillets. No significant differences were found in the composition of Greenland halibut muscle parts. The protein content was generally low and ranged between 12.2–13.9%. The lipid content varied considerably between approximately 6 and 17%, displaying large variations of the lipid contents between different Greenland halibut individuals from one catch. The variability of lipid content should be considered in the risk assessment and management of lipophilic contaminants in fish fillets. A correlation between water and lipid content was found for both species (r = −0.8750, beaked redfish; r = −0.8732, Greenland halibut).