Abstract

The proximate, fatty acid and trace mineral compositions in the flesh of cultured and wild sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) were evaluated. Cultured sea bass contained significantly (P <0.05) higher lipids than its wild counterpart. The lipids of cultured sea bass contained significantly (P<0.05) higher proportions of 14:0, 20:0, 18:1n-9, 20:1n-9, 22:1n-9, 18:2n-6 and 20:3n-6, and lower proportions of 16:0, 18:0, 20:4n-6, 20:5n-3, 22:4n-3, 22:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 fatty acid residues than wild sea bass. The percentages of total saturated and polyenoic fatty acids as well as the n-3/n-6 ratio were higher in the wild than in cultured sea bass, whereas the corresponding total monoenoic content was lower. Fe and Zn were predominant elements among 14 minerals analysed and constituted 78.2 and 81.6 of the total mineral contents in the flesh of cultured and wild sea bass, respectively. Although significant (P <0.05) differences existed between cultured and wild sea bass in Fe, Al, Ti and V contents, no significant (P > 0.05) differences were noted in the total content of minerals examined. Thus, cultured and wild sea bass may be differentiated using total lipid content, fatty acid proportions and trace mineral compositions and these differences may be attributed to the constituents of the diet of the fish. Copyright © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd.