Lipid composition of shark liver oil:: effects of emulsifying and microencapsulation processes

The lipid composition and fatty acid profile in neutral and polar fraction was determined by TLC-Iatroscan, and Gas Chromatography, in shark oil obtained from a pool of livers from the following species: Ginglimostoma cirratun, Carcharhinus longimanus, and C. falciformis captured in Cuban waters. Two processes, emulsification, and microencapsulation were applied to increase oil stability. The fatty acid profile was obtained for emulsion and microencapsulated oil and the effect of applied treatments was evaluated. Shark oil composition was mainly Triglycerides (97.2%) and a small concentration of phospholipids (0.3%). Twenty-one fatty acids were identified in neutral fraction, and 18 in polar fraction, polyunsaturated ones represented 26.5% of total lipids in the liver oil. Emulsification and microencapsulation processes do not significantly affect fatty acid shark oil composition, in contrast they reduce oxidation, and increase oil stability.