Effect of Spawning on Furan Fatty Acid Profile of Edible Muscle and Organ Tissues from Sardine (Sardina pilchardus) and Anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus)

The total fatty acid compositions, especially the furan fatty acid (F-acids) profile, from edible muscle (fillet) and organ tissues (brain, eye, ovaries, and testes) of spawning and nonspawning sardine and anchovy were examined. The spawning season had no effect on F-acid profiles of the fillet and all organ tissues, for both fishes. However, differences among the F-acid fraction of the organ tissues were revealed. The F-acid portion was less than 1% of total fatty acid in all samples. Five F-acid congeners were detected in the fillet, eye, and gonads, while the brain contained only four F-acids. Unlike the F-acids, spawning season affected the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) abundance in fillet and gonads. DHA enrichment occurred in fillets and gonads from spawning sardine and anchovy. The ratio omega 3 PUFA/omega 6 PUFA decreases between spawning and nonspawning fillets, thus the fillets from spawning fish have higher nutritional value.