Alessandra Roncarati
Camerino University
Italy
Title: Quality traits and fatty acid profile of large-size farmed and wild marine fish
Biography
Biography: Alessandra Roncarati
Abstract
In recent years, the quality of fish produced by aquaculture has been largely investigated at international level. Consumers are interested to know if it is better to eat farmed fish or those coming from a fishery. In particular, the debate is aimed at understanding whether the several health benefits attributed to the consumption of wild seafood, are also obtained from farmed fish, especially with respect to the fat content and fatty acid composition. Seafood is an important source of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), which are essential in preventing disorders and cardiovascular diseases, thanks to their anti-inflammatory and vasodilatory properties. In the present paper, data on quality traits of wild and farmed fish will be discussed with particular regard to the lipid content and fatty acid profile. In species coming from a fishery, the meat lipid level and fatty acid composition are affected by several factors. The lipid content ranges from 0.5 to 20 g/100 g of fish, depending on the season, the food availability and water temperature. In this context, the high quality of fish caught in the Adriatic sea will be demonstrated. In farmed fish species, new rearing strategies are being adopted in order to produce large-size animals, as in sea bass farming weighing 800-1200 g, to diversify the final marketable size. In the evaluation of fish meat quality obtained with aquaculture practice, it will be shown that the fatty acid profile of flesh reflects mainly the fatty acid profile of the feed administered. The final nutritional flesh quality in relation to diet will be discussed, also considering the replacement of fishmeal and fish oil with innovative feedstuffs.