COMPOSITION IN FATTY-ACID AND CONTRIBUTIO N OF CHOLESTEROL OF JUREL, SARDINE, SALMON AND TUNA IN NATURAL FISH CANNED

To obtain more information about fatty acid profile and cholesterol co ntent of fat extracted from canned fish in brine habitually consumed i n Chile, four different species Jurel (Trachurus murphyi), Sardine (Sa rdinops sagax), Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and Tuna (Thunnus alalun ga) were analyzed. The GLC of fatty acid methyl esters showed that the main group of fatty acids belongs to polyunsaturated, being omega-3 f amily the more important. The principal representants were eicosapenta enoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acids (DHA), with percentages between 5 % - 11 % and 12 % - 22 % respectively. Omega-6 family was represente d mainly by arachidonic acid (AA) with percentages between 2 % - 4 %. Cholesterol content was similar to the values found in other animal or igen meats. The figures were between 41 - 86 mg of cholesterol per 100 g of edible product, Tuna in brine, was the product with the lowest c ontent of cholesterol. The calculated amount of EPA, DHA and total ome ga-3 fatty acids indicated values betwen 95 - 604, 390 - 1163 and 609 - 2775 mg respectively per 100 g of edible product. Due these results is important to emphasize the consumption of this type of canned fish in brine, that they really represent a good dietary source of mainly p olyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids. The international recommendations indicate to increase the consumption of fish, due the beneficial effec ts described in relation with cardiovascular disease, which is the mea n cause of death in Chile, country with a wide variety of marine orige n foods, but with a contradictory answer about its consumption which i s not incorporated in the current diet.