Lipids of marine origin: the rudderfish (Centrolophus niger)

Abstract

Muscle of rudderfish (centrolophus niger), or black ruff, a rare mesopelagic fish caught in the South Atlantic, was found to contain 19.3% total lipids. The major part of the lipids (~70%) was unusual in not yielding glycerol but non-saponifiable glyceryl ether diols on alkaline hydrolysis. These ether diols included selachyl (C18:1), chimyl (C16:0) and batyl (C18:0) alcohols in amounts of 54.0, 21.6 and 8.8%, respectively. The remainder of the lipids was normal, comprising 24.2% triacylglycerols and small amounts of phospholipids, free fatty acids, cholesterol and squalene. The phospholipids were similar in composition to those of other fish species, consisting of 56% phosphatidylcholine, 20% phosphatidylethanolamine, 8% sphingomyelin, 7% phosphatidylinositol, 7% cardiolipins, 1% phosphatidylserine and 1% lyso phosphatidylcholine. The fatty acids of total lipids had oleic acid (C18:1, 37.7%) as the main component, whereas the phospholipids contained large amounts of dosahexaenoic acid (C22:6, 33.6%). Conflicting reports about the consequences for health of consuming rudderfish fillets are in circulation, but research showed no adverse effects on consuming them.