OMEGA-3-FATTY-ACIDS IN BAKED FRESH-WATER FISH FROM SOUTH OF BRAZIL

Lipid and fatty acid levels in the edible flesh of 17 baked fresh wate r fish from Brazil's southern region were determined. Analyses of fatt y acids methyl esters were performed by gas chromatography. Palmitic a cid (C16:0) was the: predominant saturated fatty acid, accouting for 5 0-70% of total saturated acids. Linoleic acid (C18:2 omega 6), linolen ic acid (C18:3 omega 3), and docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6 omega 3) were the predominant polyunsatured fatty acids (PUFA). The data revealed t hat species such as barbado, corvina, pintado, and truta were good sou rces of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and dacosahexaenoic acid (DKA), an d that most freshwater fish examined were good sources of PUFA-omega 3 .