Characterization of farmed and wild salmon (Salmo salar) by a combined useof compositional and isotopic analyses

Gas chromatography, isotope ratio mass spectrometry, and high-resolution H- 2 site-specific natural isotope fractionation/nuclear magnetic resonance sp ectroscopy have been used to study the different kinds of fish oils and lip ids extracted from muscle of wild and farmed salmon (Norway, Scotland). A s tatistical analysis of the fatty acid compositions, overall H-2 and C-13 is otope ratios, and molar fractions of the isotopomeric deuterium clusters wa s carried out to select the most efficient variables for distinguishing the different groups of salmons and fishes studied. A classification analysis based on four fatty acid compositions, three deuterium molar fractions, and the overall (D/H)(tot) isotope ratio of fish oils completely assigns the o ils to the right group.