JOURNAL of the Tunisian Chemical Society

The objective of this study is to determine the seasonal variation of the total fatty acids (TFA) level and fatty acids (FA) in white and red muscles of Tunisian swordfish (Xiphias gladius). There is a seasonal variation (p<0.05) of total fatty acids (TFA) and fatty acids both in white and red muscles, with a peak in spring (33.7 ±7.2 %) and summer (26.8±3.2 %). In D1, the seasonal variation of polyinsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) is higher than that of the saturated fatty acids (SFA) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA). Palmitic acid (C_{16 :0}) prevails in the SFA (58.2- 64.3 % of the total SFA), disregarding the season, oleic acid (C_{18 : 1n-9}) is the main MUFA component (56.5 % - 68.1 %), whereas linoleic acid (C_{18 :2n-6}) (0.7 ± 0.3 % - 9.2 ± 4.2 %), eicosapentaenoic acid EPA (C_{20 : 5n-3}) (2.6 ± 0.3 % - 3.5 ± 1.1 %) and docosahexaenoic acid DHA (C_{22 : 6n-3}) (19.2 ± 2.6% - 29.2 ± 1.8 %), are the most important in the PUFA series. Compared to the percentage of (n-6) series fatty acids contained in the TFA of swordfish, the part of the (n-3) series is more important, yielding n-3/n-6 ratios of respectively 6.8, 6.9, 4.1 and 6.7 in autumn, winter, spring and summer. (n-3) and (n-6) fatty acids contained in white muscle of swordfish undergo significant seasonal variations.

M.A. Ben Smida, B. Marzouk, M. El Cafsi

Total fatty acids, poly-unsaturated fatty acids (n-3), poly-unsaturated fatty acids (n-6), eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, white muscle, red muscle, swordfish

Pages 129-137