Evaluation of Phosphorus, Protein, and n-3 Fatty-Acid Content in 15 Marine Fish Species Identifies the Species Most Beneficial To Renal Patients

Objective

Among 15 marine fish species, we sought to identify those most beneficial to renal patients by evaluating their phosphorus (P), protein (PC), and n-3 fatty-acid (n-3 PUFA) content.

Design

These 15 species are all edible. They were obtained and sampled randomly, and were filleted to obtain 100g, enabling us to perform the analysis in triplicate. Crude protein was analyzed with a Kjeltec, and minerals were analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

Results

The PC values (g/100g) ranged from 14.3 (blue runner; BR) to 22.8 (California butterfly ray). The fish with the highest P (mg/100g) content were spotted sea trout (ST), gafftopsail fish (CF) (289), and BR (274), followed by smalltail shark (272). The species with the lowest ratio of P:n-3 PUFA was dollar fish (DF) (0.28), followed by BR, ST, and vermilion snapper (range, 0.28 to 0.67). The highest ratio of P:n-3 PUFA was found in the small-tail shark (11.6). Fish with a high n-3 PUFA/g PC content were DF (41.7), BR (38.05), ST (34.8), and CF (22.5). There was a tendency of P to increase as muscle fat increased (mg P/100g), i.e., lean fish (194), semifatty fish (239), and fatty fish (262).

Conclusions

The regular inclusion in the diet, at least three times a week, of the species DF, BR, CF, ST, caitipa mojarra, vermillion snapper, and pot snapper can be considered beneficial to the general health status of renal patients.