Analysis and Evaluation of the Muscle Nutrition of Different Sizes of Wild Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares)

Abstract

Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) is popular with consumers due to its delicious meat and high nutritional value. It is a globally recognized high-end marine economic fish. With the advancement of fishing equipment and the increase in fishing efforts, the amount of tuna resources has decreased significantly. To make up for the insufficient supply of tuna in the market and protect wild populations, it is essential to carry out research on artificial aquaculture technology for tuna and to gradually establish full-cycle cultures of tuna. In order to study the differences in the nutritional components and quality of yellowfin tuna muscles of different sizes, three different-sized yellowfin tuna, J1 (4.2±1.2) kg, J2 (22.5± 2.5) kg, and J3 (50.8±3.9) kg, were used as the research subjects, and conventional biochemical analysis methods were used to compare and analyze the proximate compositions, amino acids, fatty acids, and mineral elements of tuna muscle. The results showed that (1) the moisture level of the J1 group was significantly higher than that of the J2 and J3 groups (PJ2>J1. The content of nonessential amino acids was J3>J2>J1 (P0.05). The fatty acids in yellowfin tuna muscle were mainly PUFAs, and the content of DHA accounted for 37.46%~39.18% of the total fatty acid content. The DHA content of the J3 group was significantly higher than that of the J1 and J2 groups (PJ2>J1 (PJ2>J1 (P<0.05). The copper content was the highest in the J3 group, and was significantly higher than that in the J1 group (P<0.05). Comprehensive analysis showed that large size yellowfin tuna had better nutritional quality, and the results of this study also provide a scientific basis for the selection of residents' diets and the formulation of artificial nutrition feed for yellowfin tuna.

Keywords

• yellowfin tuna(thunnus albacares)
• muscle
• size
• nutritional components
• amino acids
• fatty acids