Analysis of EPA + DHA and omega3/omega6 ratio in 17 edible wild fish species in Bahrain

Figures & data

Table 1. Local, common, and scientific names, number of samples, weight (mean ± SD), length (mean ± SD), and date of collection of fish samples studied.

Local name	Common name	Scientific name	No. of samples	Weight (mean ± SD)	Length (mean ± SD)	Date of sample collection
Maid	Diamond Mullets	Liza alata	5	127.23 ± 23.91	21.76 ± 1.64	Nov. 2021
Naiser	Dory Snapper	Lutjanus fulviftamma	5	92.23 ± 10.86	17.96 ± 0.79	Nov. 2021
Badeh raiash	Blackfin Mojarra	Gerres argyreus	5	106.95 ± 17.50	19.68 ± 1.00	Nov. 2021
Lahlah	Talung Quenfish	Scomberoides commersonianus	5	137.15 ± 19.72	26.46 ± 0.95	Dec. 2021
Gain	Blue Barred Parrot	Scarus ghobban	5	132.90 ± 10.59	20.24 ± 0.78	Dec. 2021
Gorgofan	Haffara Bream	Rhabdosargus haffara	5	134.40 ± 15.34	20.68 ± 0.68	Nov. 2021
Sels	Spotted Half Beak	Hemiramphidiae sindensis	5	72.56 ± 3.29	28.26 ± 1.25	Nov. 2021
Hawamer	Pearly Goat	Parupenus hepatacathus	5	75.43 ± 15.66	19.23 ± 1.44	Nov. 2021
Hamam	Black Banded Trevally	Seriolina nigrofasciata	5	128.00 ± 15.58	20.64 ± 0.72	Dec. 2021
Balol	Cephalopholis Argus	Peacock hind	5	131.71 ± 35.00	20.66 ± 1.84	Dec. 2021

Table 2. Total lipid and fatty acid compositions of ten edible wild fish species in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

	Wild Fish
Fish common name	Diamond Mullets	Dory Snapper	Blackfin Mojarra	Talung Quenfish	Blue Barred Parrot	Haffara Bream	Spotted Half Beak	Pealy Goat	Black Banded Trevally	Cephalopholis Argus	P-Value (sig.*)
Total lipid (g/g)	0.28 ± 0.07	0.06 ± 0.03	0.06 ± 0.02	0.05 ± 0.02	0.03 ± 0.01	0.35 ± 0.28	0.06 ± 0.04	0.04 ± 0.02	0.03 ± 0.01	0.03 ± 0.01	0.00
Fatty acid (%)
SFAs	29.34 ± 1.45	29.28 ± 1.56	26.69 ± 3.53	20.57 ± 2.16	25.14 ± 1.28	27.69 ± 2.14	28.16 ± 3.34	26.01 ± 2.54	32.26 ± 4.34	25.70 ± 1.94	0.00
16:0	0.18 ± 0.05	0.42 ± 0.13	0.29 ± 0.28	0.47 ± 0.49	1.24 ± 0.39	0.34 ± 0.14	0.40 ± 0.24	0.59 ± 0.30	0.27 ± 0.16	2.06 ± 0.79	0.00
C18:0	29.16 ± 1.45	28.86 ± 1.64	26.67 ± 3.73	20.10 ± 2.18	23.9 ± 1.00	27.35 ± 2.16	27.76 ± 3.38	25.24 ± 2.68	31.99 ± 4.36	23.64 ± 1.30	0.00
UFAs	47.69 ± 1.74	43.21 ± 3.85	40.92 ± 3.17	42.06 ± 3.38	51.9 ± 2.60	48.63 ± 1.61	34.87 ± 4.54	52.28 ± 1.56	57.85 ± 2.97	53.11 ± 1.81	0.00
MUFAs	25.46 ± 1.60	13.5 ± 1.72	12.05 ± 0.47	12.75 ± 1.83	11.42 ± 1.95	17.76 ± 1.38	8.67 ± 1.06	14.26 ± 1.48	17.54 ± 2.73	15.26 ± 1.54	0.00
C16:1 n7	9.01 ± 0.53	2.92 ± 0.49	3.19 ± 0.29	2.93 ± 1.56	1.33 ± 0.21	3.87 ± 0.60	1.52 ± 0.46	2.98 ± 0.60	1.59 ± 0.28	4.63 ± 1.17	0.00
C18:1 n9	15.50 ± 1.21	7.78 ± 0.97	6.30 ± 0.68	7.76 ± 1.86	7.84 ± 1.04	11.14 ± 0.60	5.01 ± 0.64	8.45 ± 0.79	12.70 ± 2.87	7.80 ± 0.32	0.00
C20:1 n9	0.44 ± 0.05	0.57 ± 0.15	0.65 ± 0.20	0.70 ± 0.18	0.61 ± 0.11	0.75 ± 0.08	0.67 ± 0.20	0.67 ± 0.15	0.43 ± 0.13	0.70 ± 0.12	0.00
C22:1 n11	0.51 ± 0.09	2.23 ± 0.62	1.91 ± 0.32	1.36 ± 0.22	1.64 ± 0.11	2.00 ± 0.40	1.47 ± 0.39	2.16 ± 0.39	2.82 ± 0.52	2.13 ± 0.32	0.00
PUFAs	22.23 ± 1.08	29.71 ± 2.40	28.87 ± 2.78	29.31 ± 4.44	40.48 ± 2.47	30.87 ± 1.45	26.20 ± 4.31	38.02 ± 2.21	40.31 ± 3.34	37.85 ± 0.97	0.00
n-6	12.83 ± 0.98	17.95 ± 1.44	16.33 ± 3.08	10.45 ± 1.34	11.48 ± 1.13	19.32 ± 2.08	13.85 ± 2.46	14.62 ± 2.26	15.16 ± 1.74	16.60 ± 1.51	0.00
C18:2 n6	9.01 ± 0.83	14.64 ± 1.70	11.67 ± 2.87	6.94 ± 0.88	6.67 ± 0.62	14.72 ± 2.29	9.79 ± 2.07	10.09 ± 2.29	11.53 ± 1.26	12.27 ± 1.53	0.00
C18:3 n6	3.20 ± 0.21	2.59 ± 0.48	3.03 ± 0.99	2.96 ± 0.60	3.17 ± 0.36	3.23 ± 0.60	2.45 ± 0.41	2.46 ± 0.69	2.11 ± 0.80	2.24 ± 0.91	0.04
C22:4 n6	0.62 ± 0.06	0.72 ± 0.20	1.63 ± 0.66	0.55 ± 0.22	1.64 ± 0.55	1.37 ± 0.23	1.61 ± 0.67	2.07 ± 0.64	1.52 ± 0.23	2.09 ± 0.36	0.01
n-3	9.4 ± 0.75	11.76 ± 2.93	12.54 ± 3.31	18.86 ± 4.47	29.00 ± 2.73	11.55 ± 1.62	12.35 ± 3.57	23.40 ± 2.81	25.15 ± 2.93	21.25 ± 1.59	0.00
C18:3 n3	0.85 ± 0.12	1.11 ± 0.40	1.44 ± 0.34	1.64 ± 0.32	2.84 ± 0.40	1.20 ± 0.14	0.47 ± 0.08	1.13 ± 0.29	1.20 ± 0.27	0.67 ± 0.24	0.00
C18:4n3	0.39 ± 0.03	0.58 ± 0.13	0.57 ± 0.16	0.58 ± 0.10	0.66 ± 0.11	0.52 ± 0.09	0.45 ± 0.17	0.49 ± 0.11	0.57 ± 0.14	0.50 ± 0.05	0.22
C20:5 n3(EPA)	2.16 ± 0.19	3.07 ± 0.80	4.14 ± 0.56	4.02 ± 1.21	12.88 ± 0.98	3.81 ± 1.21	2.95 ± 1.34	5.91 ± 1.12	2.78 ± 0.34	6.55 ± 1.15	0.00
C22:6 n3(DHA)	3.90 ± 0.55	5.91 ± 2.00	4.34 ± 2.86	11.16 ± 5.20	10.18 ± 1.13	4.26 ± 1.04	6.62 ± 2.09	13.45 ± 2.31	19.20 ± 3.02	11.45 ± 0.70	0.00
C22:5 n3	2.10 ± 0.14	1.09 ± 0.48	2.05 ± 0.37	1.54 ± 0.64	2.44 ± 1.08	1.76 ± 0.50	1.86 ± 0.38	2.42 ± 0.71	1.40 ± 0.28	2.08 ± 0.50	0.00
n-3/n-6 ratio	0.73 ± 1.08	0.66 ± 2.40	0.77 ± 2.78	1.80 ± 4.44	2.53 ± 2.47	0.60 ± 1.45	0.89 ± 4.31	1.60 ± 2.21	1.66 ± 3.34	1.28 ± 0.97	0.00
EPA + DHA	6.06 ± 0.69	8.98 ± 2.75	8.48 ± 3.16	15.18 ± 4.41	23.06 ± 1.58	8.07 ± 1.60	8.48 ± 3.40	19.36 ± 2.81	21.98 ± 2.98	18.00 ± 1.35	0.00

Total lipid is expressed as mean weight (g/g) ± SD. Fatty acid values are expressed as % of total fatty acid methyl esters; mean ± SD. EPA: eicosapentaenoic acid; DHA: docosahexaenoic acid; SFAs: saturated fatty acids; UFAs: unsaturated fatty acids; MUFAs: monounsaturated fatty acids; PUFAs: polyunsaturated fatty acids.

*Statistically significant at p > 0.05.

Table 3. Fish arrangement based on EPA and DHA values. Fish with the highest sum of EPA + DHA was given the number one, whereas fish with the lowestest sum of EPA + DHA was given the last number (seventeen).

Fish Number	Fish common name	Fish local name	Fatty acids(%)
			Omega-3	Omega-6	n-3/n-6 ratio	EPA + DHA
1	Doubleber Bream*	Faskir*	31.17 ± 1.51	11.99 ± 0.90	2.62 ± 0.29	26.63 ± 0.30
2	Spangled Emperor*	Sheary*	29.57 ± 2.68	15.97 ± 0.65	1.86 ± 0.22	24.31 ± 0.10
3	Blue Barred Parrot	Gain	29.00 ± 2.73	11.48 ± 1.13	2.53 ± 2.47	23.06 ± 1.58
4	Black Banded Trevally	Hamam	25.15 ± 2.93	15.16 ± 1.74	1.66 ± 3.34	21.98 ± 2.98
5	Rabbitfish*	Saffy*	26.27 ± 2.10	14.86 ± 0.81	1.78 ± 0.19	19.38 ± 0.33
6	Peraly Goat	Hawamer	23.40 ± 2.81	14.62 ± 2.26	1.60 ± 2.21	19.36 ± 2.81
7	Cephalopholis Agurs	Balol	21.25 ± 1.59	16.60 ± 1.51	1.28 ± 0.97	18.00 ± 1.35
8	Spanish Mackerel*	Kanaad*	21.08 ± 0.46	20.20 ± 0.69	1.04 ± 0.03	16.82 ± 0.33
9	Talung Quenfish	Lehlah	18.86 ± 4.47	10.45 ± 1.34	1.80 ± 4.44	15.18 ± 4.41
10	Sobaity Emperor*	Sobaity*	19.50 ± 0.91	14.59 ± 0.38	1.34 ± 0.07	15.14 ± 0.04
11	Greasy Grouper*	Hamoor*	15.84 ± 0.72	17.38 ± 0.86	0.91 ± 0.06	12.24 ± 0.37
12	Dory Snapper	Naiser	11.76 ± 2.93	17.95 ± 1.44	0.66 ± 2.40	8.98 ± 2.75
13	Blackfin Mojarra	Badeh Raiash	12.54 ± 3.31	16.33 ± 3.08	0.77 ± 2.78	8.48 ± 3.16
14	Spotted Half Beak	Sels	12.35 ± 3.57	13.85 ± 2.46	0.89 ± 4.31	8.48 ± 3.40
15	Haffara Bream	Gorgofan	11.55 ± 1.62	19.32 ± 2.08	0.60 ± 1.45	8.07 ± 1.60
16	Diamond Mullets	Maid	9.4 ± 0.75	12.83 ± 0.98	0.73 ± 1.08	6.06 ± 0.69
17	White Sardinella**	Oom**	19.13 ± 1.31	22.96 ± 1.70	1.20 ± 0.09	5.45 ± 0.35

Fatty acid values are expressed as % of total fatty acid methyl esters; mean ± SD.

EPA: eicosapentaenoic acid; DHA: docosahexaenioc acid.

* Results from Al-Asheeri, Freije, and Perna (2020); ** Results from Freije (2017).

Table 4. Fish arrangement based on an n-3/n-6 ratio. Fish with the highest n-3/n-6 ratio was given the number one, whereas fish with the lowestest n-3/n-6 ratio was given the last number (seventeen).

Fish Number	Fish common name	Fish local name	Fatty acids (%)
			Omega-3	Omega-6	EPA + DHA	n-3/n-6 ratio
1	Doubleber Bream*	Faskir*	31.17 ± 1.51	11.99 ± 0.90	26.63 ± 0.30	2.62 ± 0.29
2	Blue Barred Parrot	Gain	29.00 ± 2.73	11.48 ± 1.13	23.06 ± 1.58	2.53 ± 2.47
3	Spangled Emperor*	Sheary*	29.57 ± 2.68	15.97 ± 0.65	24.31 ± 0.10	1.86 ± 0.22
4	Talung Quenfish	Lehlah	18.86 ± 4.47	10.45 ± 1.34	15.18 ± 4.41	1.80 ± 4.44
5	Rabbitfish*	Saffy*	26.27 ± 2.10	14.86 ± 0.81	19.38 ± 0.33	1.78 ± 0.19
6	Black Banded Trevally	Hamam	25.15 ± 2.93	15.16 ± 1.74	21.98 ± 2.98	1.66 ± 3.34
7	Peraly Goat	Hawamer	23.40 ± 2.81	14.62 ± 2.26	19.36 ± 2.81	1.60 ± 2.21
8	Haffara Bream	Gorgofan	11.55 ± 1.62	19.32 ± 2.08	8.07 ± 1.60	1.45 ± 0.60
9	Sobaity Emperor*	Sobaity*	19.50 ± 0.91	14.59 ± 0.38	15.14 ± 0.04	1.34 ± 0.07
10	Cephalopholis Agurs	Balol***	21.25 ± 1.59	16.60 ± 1.51	18.00 ± 1.35	1.28 ± 0.97
11	White Sardinella**	Oom**	19.13 ± 1.31	22.96 ± 1.70	5.45 ± 0.35	1.20 ± 0.09
12	Spanish Mackerel*	Kanaad*	21.08 ± 0.46	20.20 ± 0.69	16.82 ± 0.33	1.04 ± 0.03
13	Greasy Grouper*	Hamoor*	15.84 ± 0.72	17.38 ± 0.86	12.24 ± 0.37	0.91 ± 0.06
14	Spotted Half Beak	Sels***	12.35 ± 3.57	13.85 ± 2.46	8.48 ± 3.40	0.89 ± 4.31
15	Blackfin Mojarra	Badeh Raiash	12.54 ± 3.31	16.33 ± 3.08	8.48 ± 3.16	0.77 ± 2.78
16	Diamond Mullets	Maid	9.4 ± 0.75	12.83 ± 0.98	6.06 ± 0.69	0.73 ± 1.08
17	Dory Snapper	Naiser	11.76 ± 2.93	17.95 ± 1.44	8.98 ± 2.75	0.66 ± 2.40

Fatty acid values are expressed as % of total fatty acid methyl esters; mean ± SD.

EPA: eicosapentaenoic acid; DHA: docosahexaenoic acid.

* Results from Al-Asheeri et al. (2020); ** Results from Freije (2017).

Table 5. EPA, DHA, and n-3/n-6 ratio in fish species that have the highest amount of omega-3 around the world.

Fish name	EPA + DHA %	n-3/n-6 ratio%	References
Cod (marine)*	55.00	24.8	(Schneedorferová et al., 2015).
Mackerel*	44.00	10	(Guizani & Moujahed, 2015).
Herring (marine)*	35.00	34.5	(Schneedorferová et al., 2015).
Salmon*	34.20	3.16	(Liu et al., 2018).
Trout*	32.40	3.18	(Liu et al., 2018).
Sardines*	31.27	10.42	(Biton-Porsmoguer et al., 2020).
Tuna*	29.00	4.56	(Peng et al., 2013; Xiurong et al., 2015).
Haddock*	23.00	1.54	(Lall et al., 2017).

* Mayo Clinic (2019).

Table 6. EPA, DHA, and n-3/n-6 ratio in fish species from the Arabian Gulf Sea.

Fish name	EPA + DHA %	n-3/n-6 ratio%	References
Yellowfin Tuna	177.63	5.78	(Busaidi et al., 2015)
Grey mullet	18.94	2.56	(ElShehawy, Gab-Alla, & Mutwally, 2016)
Sabaki tilapia	7.1	0.53
Indian oil sardine	11.17	2.88
Golden thread fin Bream	27.82	4.17
Gilt head bream	6.41	0.41
Asian seabass	9.59	0.91
Job fish	26.59	2.83
Spangled emperor	14	1.35
Dusky grouper	22.72	3.09
Rusty parrot fish	16.27	1.62
Half spotted grouper	20.87	3.38
Yellowfin Tuna	23.49	4.60	(Bahurmiz, O., 2019)
Longtail Tuna	23.15	5.33
Little Tuna	24.32	5.91
Wild Sobaity	15.11	2.34	(Hossain, M., 2019)
Scomberomorus commerson	40.75	–	(Samiee & Rustaiyan, 2015)

Table 7. EPA, DHA, and n-3/n-6 ratio in fish species from the Mediterranean Sea.

Fish name	EPA + DHA %	n-3/n-6 ratio%	References
Hybrid saline tilapia	1.8	1.47	(Lin et al., 2012)
Keeled mullet	13.79	1.796	(Ozogul, Ozogul, Cicek, Polat, & Kuley, 2009)
Golden grey mullet	13.31	1.775
Flathead mullet	13.96	1.097
Leaping mullet	21.82	7.98
Thinlip mullet	16.62	3.04
Thicklip grey mullet	14.44	7.31
Forkbeard	35.7	6.70
European hake	32.64	7.63
Annular seabream	14.16	2.63
East Atlantic red	25.5	7.04
Derbio	20.33	8.91
Salema	16.05	1.52
European barracuda	18.35	8.86
Common two- banded seabream	27.23	3.51
Blue runner	29.71	4.27
Blotched picarel	32.88	9.53
Painted eel	17.36	4.44
African threadfish	16.19	3.29
Blackbelly rosefish	18.32	5.27
Grey triggerfish	20.66	2.86
Black-bellied angler	25.06	3.96
Silver sillago	19.37	3.42
Yellowstripe barracuda	18.09	5.05
Shi drum	23.55	14.18
Wide-eyed flounder	34.75	19.53
Mottled grouper	30.15	5.03
Goldbond goatfish	24.94	7.15
Annular seabream	12.23	3.25
Brushtooth lizardfish	16.79	5.68
Sand sole	29.92	3.18
Bluespotted seabream	22.75	3.645
Oceanic puffer	27.84	22.55
Striped seabream	30.85	5.59
Salema	24.62	5.58	(Prato & Biandolino, 2012)
Bogue	22.3	4.67
Common two-banded seabream	24.63	3.95
Sand smelt	24.33	3.75
Seabass	20.74	2.48
Red mullet	19.21	3.26
Golden grey mullet	16.93	3.09
Grey wrasse	16.62	2.90
Black goby	18.67	2.46
Grass goby	17.29	3.0
Picarel	21.88	4.40

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