Cholesterol, fat and food energy content of selected raw and cooked commercial fish species from the Arabian gulf

Eleven raw and cooked (broiled and fried) Arabian Gulf fish species were assayed for cholesterol, fat, protein and food energy contents. The cholesterol content (wet weight basis) ranged from 65.2 mg/100 g (Bory) to 146.2 mg/100 g (Hamam) edible portion and 73.8 mg/100 g (Kanad) to 145.5 mg/100 g (Shoar) for the broiled and fried fish, respectively. In spite of the fact that no significant differences (P > 0.05) in cholesterol content were observed among the eleven fried and broiled species, muscles of the fried fishes contained slightly higher levels of cholesterol.

The protein contents, expressed as percentages on a wet weight basis were: raw fish, 16.75%‐21.22% broiled. 24.83%‐32.38% and fried, 25.80%‐38.77%. In general, all fried fish, except for hamor and zobeidy, contained more protein when compared to broiled. The fat contents of the raw, broiled and fried fish ranged from 0.15% to 3.45%, 0.50% to 4.08% and 3.33% to 15.66%, respectively. The average fat content of the eleven fried fish was generally four times higher than that of the broiled fishes. The food energy contents of the fried fish ranged widely and were, in general, higher than when broiled; frying increased the absorption of fat and the loss of water, thereby increasing slightly the protein content. In general the cholesterol content of the raw and cooked fishes was not directly correlated (P > 0.05) to the fat content.

Key words:

• Raw and cooked fish
• composition
• food energy (caloric) content
• Arabian Gulf