Nutritional value of marine fish species in the coastal areas of Myanmar

Abstract

Fish plays a major role in the food and nutrition security of many people around the world. Fish are regarded a nutritionally beneficial component of the human diet due to the availability of both macronutrients (protein and fat) and micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, and trace elements). Therefore, fish, may play a key role in the prevention of micronutrient deficiency diseases in low- and middle-income countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the nutritional value of marine fish species found in coastal areas of Myanmar and determine their potential contribution to recommended nutrient intake for women of reproductive age. A total of 40 species were captured and analyzed from three coastal locations during a survey with the research vessel Dr. Fridtjof Nansen in 2018. These species were categorized into large species (>25cm) and small species (<25cm) with respectively, 6 and 34 species in each. Small species, which are usually consumers whole or whole without head, tail, and viscera, contained substantially higher concentrations of vitamin A, iron, zinc, and calcium, compared to the large species analyzed where only fillet was analyzed. The small species also had the highest contribution to recommended nutrient intake of nutrients for women of reproductive age. The pelagic species, Sardinella gibbosa was high in protein, demersal species, Synagrops japonicus was a good source of vitamin A1, Leiognathus decorus was rich in minerals, Polynemus paradiseus, and Siganus canaliculatus had high content of n-3 PUFA fatty acids especially EPA and DHA. However, Hapadon nehereus (Bombay duck), which is one of the most popular fish in Myanmar, had the lowest nutrient content and fatty acid composition among the species analyzed due to high moisture content. Based on the findings of this study, it is clear that many of the marine fish species in the coastal waters of Myanmar are important sources of essential micronutrients, including iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin A, and n-3 PUFA fatty acids especially EPA and DHA. Such data has not previously been reported and these findings contribute to the limited food composition data on marine species in Myanmar.