Nutritional quality of salmon products available from major retailers in the UK: content and composition of n-3 long-chain PUFA

Br J Nutr. 2014 Sep 28;112(6):964-75. doi: 10.1017/S0007114514001603. Epub 2014 Jul 14.

Abstract

In the present study, salmon products available from UK retailers were analysed to determine the levels of n-3 long-chain PUFA (LC-PUFA), a key determinant of nutritional quality. There was a wide variation in the proportions and absolute contents of EPA and DHA in the products. Relatively high contents of 18 : 1n-9, 18 : 2n-6 and 18 : 3n-3, characteristic of vegetable oils (VO), were found in several farmed salmon products, which also had generally lower proportions of EPA and DHA. In contrast, farmed salmon products with higher levels of 16 : 0 and 22 : 1, characteristic of fish oil (FO), had higher proportions of EPA and DHA. Therefore, there was a clear correlation between the levels of VO and FO in feeds and the proportions of n-3 LC-PUFA in products. Although wild salmon products were characterised by higher proportions of n-3 LC-PUFA (20-40%) compared with farmed fish (9-26%), they contained lower total lipid contents (1-6% compared with 7-17% in farmed salmon products). As a result, farmed salmon products invariably had higher levels of n-3 LC-PUFA in absolute terms (g/100 g fillet) and, therefore, delivered a higher 'dose' of EPA and DHA per portion. Overall, despite the finite and limiting supply of FO and increasing use of VO, farmed salmon continue to be an excellent source of and delivery system for n-3 LC-PUFA to consumers.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Animal Feed / analysis
  • Animals
  • Animals, Wild / growth & development
  • Animals, Wild / metabolism
  • Aquaculture
  • Dietary Fats / analysis
  • Dietary Fats / metabolism
  • Docosahexaenoic Acids / analysis
  • Docosahexaenoic Acids / metabolism
  • Eicosapentaenoic Acid / analysis
  • Eicosapentaenoic Acid / metabolism
  • Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / analysis*
  • Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / metabolism
  • Fish Oils / chemistry
  • Fish Oils / metabolism
  • Frozen Foods / analysis
  • Frozen Foods / economics
  • Humans
  • Muscle, Skeletal / growth & development
  • Muscle, Skeletal / metabolism*
  • Nutritive Value
  • Plant Oils / chemistry
  • Plant Oils / metabolism
  • Salmo salar / growth & development
  • Salmo salar / metabolism*
  • Seafood / analysis*
  • Seafood / economics
  • United Kingdom

Substances

  • Dietary Fats
  • Fatty Acids, Omega-3
  • Fish Oils
  • Plant Oils
  • Docosahexaenoic Acids
  • Eicosapentaenoic Acid