COMPARATIVE STUDY ABOUT FLESH CONTENTS AND NUTRIENT VALUES IN BROWN BULLHEAD, LOACH AND DARKBARBEL CATFISH

Three aquaculture species, brown bullhead (Ictalurus ncbulosus), loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) and Darkbarbel catfish (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco, Richardson), were studied for flesh contents, processing characteristics and nutritional composition of fish muscles. The results showed that flesh contents of brown bullhead (74.48±2.01)% and Darkbarbel catfish (73.63±3.29)% were significantly higher than that of loach (65.95±1.27)%. The cooked meat rate of loach (69.36±2.35)% was higher than that of other two species. Protein content of muscles in loach (16.24±0.56)% was significant higher than that in brown bullhead (15.34±0.44)% and Darkbarbel catfish (14.45±0.24)%. Fat content of muscles in Darkbarbel catfish (2.41±0.17)% was significant higher than that in brown bullhead (1.22±0.33)% and loach (1.26±0.60)%. The proportion of inclusive essential amino acids for human in muscle total amino acids of brown bullhead, loach and Darkbarbel catfish were (40.06±0.63)%, (39.79±0.57)% and (40.36±0.52)%, respectively. Valine was first limited amino acid in muscle of the three species of fish and the F value was between 4.90－5.06. In three species, the delicious amino acid contents of muscles were more than 29%. The unsaturated fatty acid contents of muscles were significant higher than those of saturated fatty acids. The content of 20:5ω-3 fatty acid (EPA) in muscles of brown bullhead (2.52±0.30)% was significant higher than that of loach (0.16±0.05)% and Darkbarbel catfish (0.12±0.04)%, but the contents of 22:6ω-3 (DHA) in muscles of loach (4.62±0.30)% and Darkbarbel catfish (2.86±0.32)% were significantly higher than that of brown bullhead (1.84±0.27)%. The results indicated that loach and Darkbarbel catfish are delicious and these three fish are nutrient aquatic food for human being.