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Fatty Acid Profiles of Commercially Available Finfish Fillets in the United States

Lipids

Abstract

Fillets of 76 finfish species (293 composites of three fish) were obtained from commercial seafood vendors in six regions of the United States (i.e., Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, New England, Northwest, Southeast, and Southwest). Full fatty acid profiles were determined for each species and are presented here. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have been associated with many health benefits. Thus, fillets of each species were compared for total EPA plus DHA content, which ranged from 17 mg/100 g (pangasius/swai) to 2430 mg/100 g (Chilean sea bass). Of the top ten most popularly consumed seafoods in the US, finfish, including salmon species (717–1533 mg/100 g), Alaskan pollock (236 mg/100 g), tilapia (76 mg/100 g), channel catfish (44 mg/100 g), Atlantic cod (253 mg/100 g), and pangasius/swai (17 mg/100 g), exhibited a wide concentration range of EPA plus DHA. Large variances were found within many of the farmed species analyzed, which likely stems from dietary differences in the farm-fed diet. The results of this study provide current information on a broad range of species and will help nutritionists and the public make informed decisions regarding seafood consumption.

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Fig. 1
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Abbreviations

ALA:

Alpha-linolenic acid (18:3n-3)

ARA:

Arachidonic acid (20:4n-6)

ARS:

Agricultural Research Service

DHA:

Docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3)

DHHS:

United States Department of Health and Human Services

DPAn-3:

Docosapentaenoic acid (22:5n-3)

EPA:

Eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3)

GL:

Great Lakes region

GLA:

Gamma-linolenic acid (18:3n-6)

LNA:

Linoleic acid (18:2n-6)

MA:

Mid-Atlantic region

MUFA:

Monounsaturated fatty acids

NE:

New England region

NND:

National nutrient database

NW:

Northwest region

PUFA:

Polyunsaturated fatty acids

RRF:

Relative retention factor

SDA:

Stearidonic acid (18:4n-3)

SE:

Southeast region

SFA:

Saturated fatty acids

SW:

Southwest region

USDA:

United States Department of Agriculture

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Acknowledgments

This work was funded by the United States Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Award No. IND 0-2010-01295. The authors acknowledge the assistance of Sara Foresman and Alayne Meyer, undergraduate laboratory assistants at Purdue University, in the completion of this project.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

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Correspondence to Charles R. Santerre.

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Cladis, D.P., Kleiner, A.C., Freiser, H.H. et al. Fatty Acid Profiles of Commercially Available Finfish Fillets in the United States. Lipids 49, 1005–1018 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-014-3932-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-014-3932-5

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