ESSENTIAL FATTY-ACIDS ON N-6 AND N-3 SERI ES SUPPLIED TO HUMAN DIET BY EDIBLE FISH FROM PARANA RIVER

The fatty acid composition of muscle lipids from eadible fish from Par ana river such as Dorado (Salminus maxillosus), Boga (Leporinus affini s), Pati (Luciopimelodus pati) and Surubi (Pseudoplatistoma coruscans) was studied in order to determine their food value in relation to ess ential fatty acid n-3 and n-6 supply. Flesh from these fishes is relat ively lean and its lipids only contain 35% to 38% saturated fatty acid s. Significant amounts of n-6 polyethylenic acids, mainly linoleic, ar achidonic and the n-3 acids, docosahexaenoic, docosapentaenoic, eicosa pentaenoic and alpha-linolenic are found in these fishes. Pati flesh i s the most abundant in n-6 acids with a value of 306 mg/100 g muscle, followed by Boga, Dorado and Surubi. A large proportion of n-3 acids i s supplied by muscles of Dorado, 183 mg/100g muscle, followed by Pati, Boga and Surubi. More than 90% of the lipids that supply these acids are present in triacylglycerols in Dorado, Boga and Pati. In Surubi, t riacylglycerols constitute 60% and the remaining lipids are phospholip ids. Cholesterol content in flesh of fresh water fish was analyzed, an d it did not exceed 4.7 mu g/g muscle for Pati, being lower for the ot her species studied. Fish considerered in this work represent a good d ietary source of polyunsaturated fatty acids either n-6 or n-3 series for the mediterranean population in our country.