Chandravathany Devadawsona
Eastern University
Sri Lanka.
Title: Assessment of feeding habits of Sri Lanka freshwater fishes on their muscle lipid fatty acid composition and tocopherol contents
Biography
Biography: Chandravathany Devadawsona
Abstract
The total lipid content, fatty acid composition and tocopherol content of muscle lipids of eleven fresh water fishes belongs to Cichlidae, Anabantidae, Siluridae, Cyprinidae, Channidae families lived in reservoirs in Sri Lanka were studied. Muscle lipid contents were varied between 1.6 - 41.5% of the fishes that having omnivorous, carnivoros and herbivorous feeding habits. Walking cat fish (Clarius branchysoma) having omnivorous feeding habit showed the highest total lipids (41.5%), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (39.9%) and α-Tocopherol (29.65mg/g) in the muscle. The ratio of total n-3 to n-6 fatty acids in Walking cat fish is 1 confirmed consumption of cat fishes favourable for human health and has a particularly beneficial effect in preventing cardiovascular diseases. Tilapia (Tilapia moassambica), and Climbing pearch (Anabas testudineus) having omnivorous feeding habit showed 15.73 and 12.55% total lipids in the muscle and contained 5.6 and 2.5 mg/g α-Tocopherol respectively. However, Tilapia (Tilapia niloticus) shows very low total lipid (1.69%) and tocopherol (0.08mg/g). Fresh water shark (Wallago attu) having carnivorous feeding habit shows 11.29% total lipids, 4.02mg/g α-Tocopherol and 36% PUFA in muscle. Similarly, Rohu (Labeo rohita) having herbivorous feeding habit contained 10.84% lipids, 6.61mg/g α-Tocopherol and approximately 90% unsaturated fatty acids. Results of the study reveled that the lipid content, fatty acid composition and tocopherol content in the muscle of the freshwater fishes in Sri Lanka was not significntly influenced by the feeding habits of the fishes and no relationship with the families.