Abstract

To evaluate the proximate composition and main nutritive ingredients (vitamin A, $V_A$; vitamin E, $V_E$; cholesterol; the composition of fatty acids) between eels cultured in different domestic eel farms, we analyzed edible parts of eels that were cultured in three "Water Recirculation System (WRS)" farms and three "Still-Water System (SWS)" farms. We found differences in crude protein, crude lipids and the ash content of eel meat between the farms, but water content showed no significant difference. $V_A$ and $V_E$ contents did not show meaningful differences between the two culture methods, but there was a noticeable distinction between the eel farms. In particular, $V_E$ content showed significant differences between the eels of each farm (highest farm, about 25 mg/100 g dry wt; lowest farm, about 1 mg/100 g dry wt). The fatty acids of cultured eels were composed of monoenes (MUFA, 55-60%), saturates (SFA, 30-33%), $\omega$-6 highly unsaturates (HUFA, 1.6-2%) and $\omega$-3 HUFA (8-9.2%). The MUFA content of WRS eels ($59.9{\pm}1.97%$) was higher than that of SWS eels ($55.8{\pm}0.48%$). The contents of other fatty acids were higher in SWS eels (SFA, $33.0{\pm}0.52%$; $\omega$-6FUFA, $1.98{\pm}0.2%$; $\omega$-3 HUFA, $9.2{\pm}0.67%$) than in WRS eels (SFA, $30.5{\pm}1.34%$; $\omega$-6 HUFA, $1.62{\pm}0.19%$; $\omega$-3 HUFA, $8.0{\pm}0.5%$).

Keywords

• Anguilla japonica;
• Vitamin A;
• Vitamin E;
• Cholesterol;
• Fatty acids