Meat quality of fish farmed in polyculture in carp ponds in Republic of Serbia

Abstract

Meat quality of one­year, two­years and three­years old carp, two year old silver carp and grass carp, and two years old catfish and zander, which were farmed in different conditions and in different feeding regimes was analyzed in this study. Twelve samples of each type and category of fish were taken from three different fish ponds in December. Chemical analysis, fatty acid and cholesterol content determinations were carried out in the Institute of Hygiene and Meat Technology, Belgrade. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistica 10 program. The established n­3/n­6 ratios in different
categories of common carp were in the range from 0.1 to 0.26. The most favourable ratio was observed in two years old carp fed pelleted food and the least favourable in three­year old carp fed corn as dominant component in food. The dependence of n­3/n­6 ratio with age and diet was established in our work, too. This ratio also widely varies between different species of fish, which is also confirmed. Nutritive value of examinated freshwater fish is high since their fatty acid composition is characterized by satisfactory proportion of n­3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and by high proportion of n­6 polyunsaturated fatty
acids, especially linoleic and arachidonic acids.