Impact of a blood-sucking parasite on the chemical composition of fatty acids in the white muscle of garfish (Belone belone, Belonidae) from Tunisian coasts (Central Mediterranean)

The objective of this study was to compare the composition of fatty acids in the garfish ( Belone belone ) white muscle removed from parasitized and non parasitized specimens. The chemical analysis results revealed low contents of total fatty acids for both parasitized and non-parasitized specimens. Their values, less than 2 g/100 g of fresh muscle, allowed the classification of the garfish as a lean fish. High ratios of saturated fatty acids were found in the garfish muscle reaching 58.4% of total fatty acids. These fatty acids were represented mainly by lauric, miristic and palmitic at a level of 50.3%. As a lean fish, garfish contains 16% polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3). Two major fatty acids are docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic with respective percentages of 9 and 1.17% of total fatty acids. The parasitized garfish showed increase in their fatty acids, mainly in pentadecanoic, pentadecenoic, docosahexaenoic and arachidonic acids and decreases in saturated acids especially lauric, miristic and palmitic. This drop is correlated with a very significant increase in PUFA from 16 to 26% of total fatty acids. In order to obtain 0.5 g/day of EPA + DHA, the amount of garfish required is 641 g of non-parasitized and 436 g parasitized fish. Key words: Garfish, blood-sucking, parasite, parasitized fish, fatty acid analysis, Tunisia.