Fatty acid profile and stability of oil from the belly flaps of Nile perch (Lates niloticus)

Oil extracted from the belly flaps of Lake Victoria Nile perch (Lates niloticus) was evaluated for fatty acid composition, contents of vitamin A, beta-carotene and a-tocopherol, and oxidative stability. The oil was found to contain substantial amount of palmitic, palmitoleic, stearic, oleic, docosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic fatty acids (FAs) and had high vitamin A content (3.94 +/- 0.02 to 5.90 +/- 0.02 mg/100 g of oil). Docosahexaenoic acid (10.45 +/- 0.38%),.docosapentacnoic acid (5.30 +/- 0.60%) and eicosapentaenoic acid (3.63 +/- 0.05%) were the most dominant polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Ratios of PUFAs to saturated FAs were in the range 0.68 +/- 0.02 to 0.74 +/- 0.03, while the ratio of total omega-3 FAs to total omega-6 FAs was 0.85 +/- 0.02 to 0.95 +/- 0.08. The oils showed exceptional resistance to accelerated oxidation at 65 degrees C probably because of its high content of beta-carotene (2.93 +/- 0.03 to 4.69 +/- 0.01 mg/100 g of oil) and alpha-tocopherol (2.11 +/- 0.03 to 11.4 +/- 0.92 Mg/100 g of oil). From the results, it can be concluded that Nile perch oil is a rich source of essential fatty acids and vitamin A. (C) 2007 Published by Elsevier Ltd.