title: Saturated Branched Chain, Normal Odd-Carbon-Numbered, and n-3 (Omega-3) Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Freshwater Fish in the Northeastern United States.
abstract: The fatty acid profiles of wild freshwater fish are poorly characterized as a human food source for several classes of fatty acids, particularly for branched chain fatty acids (BCFA), a major bioactive dietary component known to enter the US food supply primarily via dairy and beef fat. We evaluated the fatty acid content of 27 freshwater fish species captured in the northeastern US with emphasis on the BCFA and bioactive polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) most associated with fish, specifically n-3 (omega-3) eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Mean BCFA content across all species was 1.0 ± 0.5% (mean ± SD) of total fatty acids in edible muscle, with rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) and pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus) the highest at >2% BCFA. In comparison, EPA + DHA constituted 28% ± 7% of total fatty acids. Across all fish species, the major BCFA were iso-15:0, anteiso-15:0, iso-16:0, iso-17:0 and anteiso-17:0. Fish skin had significantly higher BCFA content than muscle tissues, at 1.8% ± 0.7%, but lower EPA and DHA. Total BCFA in fish skins was positively related with that in muscle (r2= 0.6). The straight chain saturates n-15:0 and n-17:0 which have been identified previously as markers for dairy consumption were relatively high with means of 0.4% and 0.6%, respectively, and may be an underappreciated marker for seafood intake. Consuming a standardized portion, 70 g (2.5 oz), of wild freshwater fish contributes only small amounts of BCFA, 2.5-24.2 mg, to the American diet, while it adds surprisingly high amounts of EPA + DHA (107 mg to 558 mg).
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, Cornell University , Ithaca, New York 14853, United States.
authors.forename: Dong Hao
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University Biological Field Station , Bridgeport, New York 13030, United States.
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University , Ithaca, New York 14853, United States.
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Twining
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University Biological Field Station , Bridgeport, New York 13030, United States.
authors.forename: Lars G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Rudstam
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Conservation , Cortland, New York 13045, United States.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zollweg-Horan
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University Biological Field Station , Bridgeport, New York 13030, United States.
authors.forename: Clifford
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kraft
authors.affiliation: Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University , Ithaca, New York 14853, United States.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lawrence
authors.affiliation: Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University , Ithaca, New York 14853, United States.
authors.forename: Kumar
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kothapalli
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, Cornell University , Ithaca, New York 14853, United States.
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, Cornell University , Ithaca, New York 14853, United States.|Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University , Ithaca, New York 14853, United States.
authors.forename: J Thomas
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Brenna
keywords: DHA; EPA; branched chain fatty acids (BCFA); fish; n-3; northeastern United States; skin