Proximate composition, fatty acids and physicochemical characteristics of artesian meal caribe (Serrasalmus rhombeus Pisces: Characidae) meal oil from Caicara del Orinoco-Venezuela

Abstract

Caribe (Serrasalmus rhoembeus) is a Characidae fish that lives in the basins of the Orinoco and Amazon rivers. It is an underutilized specie although in the last years has been marketed in the form of of a meal which is obtained through a handmade process but without information about its chemical composition. This research was conducted to evaluate the proximate composition of commercial caribe meal, the fatty acids profile and some physicochemical properties of its lipidic extract. Three aleatory samples of meal were selected in Caicara del Orinoco shops, Bolívar state –Venezuela. Moisture (6.00 ± 0.45 %), crude protein (N x 6.25: 52.78 ± 2.36 %), crude fat (22.47 ± 1.08 %) and total ash (24.58 ± 3.12 %) were determined in each sample. The fat was extracted with nhexane and it was analyzed for free fatty acids (5.66 ± 0.15 % as oleic acid), peroxide value (23.50 ± 1.02 meq O2/kg), iodine value (152.2 ± 0.5), saponification value (186.5 ± 0.3 mg KOH/g) and unsaponifiable matter (2.3 ± 0.4 g/kg). The fatty acids profile showed an unsaturated acids/ saturated acids ratio of 5.62 with 59.9 % of monounsaturated fatty acids and 25.0 % of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Caribe meal is an important source of nutrients and a potential raw material for human food.

Keywords

• caribe
• characidae
• fatty acids
• fish meal
• fish oil
• serrasalmus