Nutritional traits of dorsal and ventral fillets from three farmed fish species

Dorsal and ventral fillet portions (DP and VP, respectively) of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax, ESB), gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata, GSB), and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, RBT) were analysed for proximate constituents, and fatty acid composition and content.Moisture and lipid content differentiated DP from VP in all species. Significant differences emerged between DP and VP from ESB for MUFA, PUFA, and DHA contents. The n6/n3 ratio ranged from 0.22 (DP in RBT) to 0.38 (VP in GSB). The highest hypocholesterolaemic/hypercholesterolaemic fatty acid ratio pertained to DP and VP from RBT, and the lowest peroxidisability index to VP from GSB and ESB. The index of nutritional quality for EPA + DHA was always higher in VP than in DP, that of RBT being especially interesting because it is associated with a lower energy value than that from ESB and GSB.