Oil production from catfish viscera

Oil was extracted from catfish viscera and purified (degummed, neutralized, bleached, and deodorized). The yield of catfish oil after purification was 65.7%. The major yield loss took place during the degumming process. The FA found in crude catfish visceral oil were 14∶0, 16∶0, 16∶1, 18∶0, 18∶1, 18∶2, 18∶3, 20∶0, 20∶1, 20∶2, 20∶3, 20∶4, and 22∶6, the predominant FA being 18∶1, 16∶0, 18∶2, and 18∶0. The total unsaturated FA in the purified catfish oil amounted to 67.7%. The combined n−3 FA content of the purified catfish oil was 4.6 mg/g of oil. The purified catfish oil contained 1.21 mg/g DHA. FFA, water activity, and some mineral contents decreased during purification. Bleaching removed pigments, thus resulting in oil with greater lightness and less yellowness.