Fatty Acids in Cultivated and Wild Fish

Some years ago, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture undertook a study of the nutrient profile of the leading species of\ud cultivated and wild fish and shellfish. Some data from that work were published, but information on fatty acids was not\ud included. This paper presents data on the fat, cholesterol and major fatty acid content of cultivated and wild channel catfish\ud (Ictalurus punctatus), rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri), and coho salmon (Oncorynchus kisutch). Two samples of each\ud species were obtained from the wild at two different seasons, reflecting differences in spawning status; three samples of\ud cultivated channel catfish and rainbow trout plus two of coho salmon were obtained at peak season to coincide with one of\ud the sampling times of the wild samples. Analyses were conducted on raw and cooked fillets. Fatty acids were determined by\ud gas-liquid chromatography. Fat content of cultivated catfish and salmon ranged from 2.5-5 times that of wild samples; fat\ud levels in wild and cultivated trout were similar. Monounsaturates predominated in cultivated catfish and salmon but not\ud trout. Differences in fatty acid profile between wild and cultivated fish were greatest among polyunsaturates; linoleic acid\ud was substantially higher in all cultivated samples than in wild fish. Omega-3 fatty acid levels were related to species and\ud were higher in cultivated than wild samples owing to higher fat content. Data do not support the notion that wild fish are\ud higher in omega-3 fatty acids than cultivated fish