Characterization of Mexican Fishes According to Fatty Acid Profile and Fat Nutritional Indices

The fatty acid profile of crevalle jack was compared with that of Atlantic bluefin tuna, Atlantic Spanish mackerel, red snapper, and Nile tilapia. Crevalle jack and Atlantic Spanish mackerel showed similarities in their fatty acid profiles, with the saturated fatty acid > monounsaturated fatty acid > polyunsaturated fatty acid pattern. Atlantic bluefin tuna and red snapper followed a similar pattern to each other, with the polyunsaturated fatty acid > saturated fatty acid > monounsaturated fatty acid pattern, and the pattern for Nile tilapia was saturated fatty acid > monounsaturated fatty acid ≈ polyunsaturated fatty acid. In winter, the DHA+EPA content of crevalle jack (493.2 mg/100 g fillet) was 37% lower than Atlantic bluefin tuna and Atlantic Spanish mackerel, 35% higher than for the red snapper, and 2.8 fold higher than for the Nile tilapia. The best nutritional indices were for Atlantic bluefin tuna > red snapper > Atlantic Spanish mackerel > crevalle jack > Nile tilapia.