Sains Malaysiana 41(1)(2012): 81–94

Fatty Acids Composition of Selected Malaysian Fishes

(Komposisi Asid Lemak Ikan Terpilih Malaysia)

Nur Airina Muhamad & Jamaludin Mohamad*

Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya

50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Received:  4 January 2011 / Accepted:  7 June 2011

ABSTRACT

A comparative study on the fatty acids contents of three Malaysian marine fishes Tenualosa toli (Terubok), Rastrelliger kanagurta (Kembong), Stolephorus baganensis (Bilis) and three freshwater fishes Channa striatus (Haruan), Pangasius hypothalamus (Patin), Clarias macrocephalus (Keli) were carried out. Marine fishes showed more unsaturated fatty acids with 3, 4, 5 and 6 double bonds than in freshwater fishes. Two n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs); eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docasahaexaenoic acid (DHA) were found more in marine fishes PUFAs than in freshwater fishes. Based on the fatty acids content of DHA, EPA and arachidonic acid (AA), Stolephorus baganensis provides the best source of it (4.68%,10.5%, 4.68%) followed by Rastrelliger kanagurta (10.62%, 4.85%, 3.17%) and Tenualosa toli (9.93%, 2.50% , 0.16%). However, freshwater fishes showed small range of DHA (0.63%-1.41%), EPA (0.11-0.25%) and AA (1.41% – 4.46%). Saturated fatty acids palmitic was the major fatty acid found in all fishes studied.

Keywords: Docosahaexaenoic acid; eicosapentaenoic acid; fresh water fish; marine fish; polyunsaturated fatty acid

ABSTRAK

Kajian perbandingan kandungan asid lemak tiga jenis ikan marin Malaysia Tenualosa toil (Terubuk), Rastrelliger kanagurta (Kembung), Stolephorus baganensis (Bilis) dan tiga jenis ikan air tawar Channa striatus (Haruan), Pangasius hypothalamus (Patin), Clarius macrocephalus (Keli) telah dijalankan. Ikan marin menunjukkan lebih kandungan asid lemak tak tepu terutamanya dengan ikatan dubel 3, 4. 5, dan 6 berbanding ikan air tawar. Dua asid lemak tepu n-3 (PUFA) iaitu asid eikosapentaenoik (EPA) dan asid docasahaexaenoik (DHA) terdapat lebih dalam PUFA ikan marin daripada ikan air tawar. Berdasarkan kandungan asid lemak DHA, EPA dan asid arachidonik (AA) ikan marin Stolephorus baganensis adalah sumber terbaik (4.68%, 10.5%,4.68%) diikuti dengan Rastrelliger kanagurta (10.62%, 4.85%, 3.17%) dan Tenualosa toli (9.93%, 2.50%, 0.16%). Walaupun demikian ikan air tawar menunjukan julat yang kecil DHA (0.63% - 1.41%), EPA (0.11 – 0.25%) dan AA (1.41% - 4.46%). Asid lemak tepu palmitik didapati adalah asid lemak utama yang terdapat didalam semua ikan yang telah dikajikan.

Kata kunci: Asid docasahaexaenoik; asid eikosapentaenoik; asid lemak tepu; ikan air tawar; ikan marin

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*Corresponding author: jamal@um.edu.my