The fatty acid contents of marine, brackish and fresh water fishes were identified and quantified by gas chromatography. It was found that marine fishes were better sources of n-3 fatty acids, whereas fresh and brackish water fishes were better sources of n-6 fatty acids. Marine fish had the highest amount of PUFA. Among PUFAs, docosadienoic acid (C22:2n6) and adrenic acid (C22:4n6) were identified in 20 fishes. EPA and DHA was significantly higher in marine fishes (p&lt; 0.01), particularly, Dussumieria acuta, the rainbow sardine (24.80 mg g-1). Gerres abbreviates, the silver belly (20.16 mg g-1) and Tricusurus savala, the wolf herring (23.34 mg g-1). The n-3: n-6 ratio was significantly higher in marine fishes (p &lt; 0.05) than in the brackish and fresh water fishes studied. Atherogenicity (AI) and thrombogenicity(TI) values were significantly higher in both fresh and brackish water fishes and significantly lower (p &lt; 0.01) in marine fishes.

Fatty acid compositions and atherogenic and thrombogenic indices of commonly consumed marine, brackish and fresh water fishes