Fatty Acid Profile of Some Feral and Cultured Catfish Species in Nigeria

The fatty acid profile of feral and cultured Heterobranchus longifilis, Clarias gariepinus and feral Chrystichthys nigrodigitatus were determined. Three adult fish each of Heterobranchus longifilis and Clarias gariepinus were procured from Oguta lake in Imo State and Azuberth Research Complex at Industrial Cluster Naze, in Owerri west Loca Government Area, Imo State, while Chrystichthys nigrodigitatus were obtained from Afikpo Ebonyi State. The fish samples were analyzed in the laboratory to determine the, fatty acid profile using recommended standard methods by AOAC. Data obtained were then subjected to statistical analysis and means separated for comparison. Thirteen fatty acids were obtained in all the treatments (H. longifilis, C. gariepinus and C. nigrodigitatus both culture and wild respectively. Myristic, lauric, stearic and palmitic acids were the saturated fatty acid found. While Linolenic acid, Tetracopentaenoic, Linoleic acid, Arachidonic acid, Cervonic acid, Oleic acid, Dihomo-linoleic, Linolenic acid and Eicosapentaenoic acid are the unsaturated fatty acid. However, Linoleic acids (C18:2) had the highest concentration (28.160%) in wild H. longifilis, followed by cultured C. gariepinus (15.668%). Generally, when pooled together for each fish species unsaturated fatty acid had far higher percentage concentration than saturated fatty acids. The presence of linoleic acid (Omega fatty acid) in high amount in all the treatments is an indication that fish oil is an excellent source of polyunsaturated fatty acid that the body cannot synthesized and must be required in their diet hence, making fish a must for human consumption. Though saturated fatty acids were present but the concentrations of beneficial unsaturated fatty acids far outweighs the presence of the low concentration of saturated fatty acids.