Fatty Acids Profile of Three Different Regions of Fresh and Ice-packed Pangasius pangasius (Hamilton, 1822)

The proximate composition and fatty acids profile of head, dorsal and ventral regions of ice-packed and fresh Pangasius pangasius were evaluated. Fatty acids analysis were carried out using Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GCMS). The lipid content in the head and dorsal regions of both ice-packed and fresh Pangasius pangasius were not significant. However, the study found a significantly high (p<0.05) value of lipid in the ventral region of fresh comparing to ice-packed fish. Protein value was found highest in the dorsal region of fresh P. pangasius. Ash content was found highest in the head region of ice-packed fish and lowest in the ventral region. Among the fatty acids, palmitic acid (C16:0), oleic acid (C18:1n-9) and linoleic acid (C18:2n-6) respectively were found highest in both the fresh and the ice-packed fish in different proportions. The n-6/n-3 ratio in the head, dorsal and ventral regions were higher in the ice-packed samples compared to the fresh samples. Alpha-linolenic acid (C18:3n-3) was found only in the ice-packed fish and gammalinolenic acid (C18:3n-6) was detected only in the fresh fish. Fatty acid containing a cyclopropane ring namely cyclopropaneoctanoic acid 2-hexyl was detected in the ventral region of ice-packed P. pangasius.