Characterization of fatty acid compositions extracted from Lates calcarifer (Asian seabass) byproducts (head, liver and intestine)

Malaysian Lates calcarifer (Asian seabass) is readily adapted to the freshwater environment and is suggested to have different long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids biosynthetic activities compared to other marine fish. Additionally, fatty acid profiling of L. calcarifer byproducts are not yet studied. Hence, in this study, fatty acid compositions of L. calcarifer byproducts (head, liver and intestine) were analyzed. The byproducts were excised and the lipid was extracted using modified Bligh and Dyer method and converted into fatty acid methyl ester before being analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. In all byproducts analyzed, major class of fatty acid was saturated fatty acids with the range of 48.25 ± 0.99% – 64.31 ± 0.79%, followed by monounsaturated fatty acids within the range 18.94 ± 1.47% – 40.19 ± 1.00% and the least was polyunsaturated fatty acids with the range between 6.08 ± 0.47% – 21.23 ± 1.20%. The C16:0, C18:1n9(c), C20:5n3(c), C22:6n3(c) and C18:2n6(c) were found to be predominant fatty acids in byproducts. Interestingly, L. calcarifer head has the highest and lowest content of omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids, respectively, with the amount of 16.46 ± 1.06% and 4.77 ± 0.40%. In contrast, omega-3 fatty acids were not detected from intestine, with omega-6 fatty acids appeared in greatest amount of 11.56 ± 0.11%. Such kind of useful fatty acids can be utilized to increase the nutritional value of animal feeds upon refinery.