Abstract:

The composition of fatty acids (FA) in Gymnocypris przewalskii oil was identified and quantified by gas chromatography (GC)/electron impact (EI) mass spectrometry (MS). A base-catalyzed transesterification method was used to convert fatty acids to methyl esters. The lipids were extracted using petroleum ether and the total lipids in dried meat and skin of Gymnocypris przewalskii were about 25%. Forty-seven fatty acids were identified in the current study. Main types of fatty acids found in the oils were normal saturated, mono-branched, multi-branched, cyclopropane, furanoid, normal monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Saturated fatty acids were approximately 25.7% of the total, and the main components were C14∶0(3.4%), C16∶0 (19.4%) and C18∶0(1.1%). Unsaturated fatty acids were totally 73.6%, and the major components of monounsaturated fatty acids were C16∶1 (9) (19.8%), C18∶1 (9) (18.6%) and C18∶1 (11) (7.3%); polyunsaturated fatty acids were mainly composed of C18∶2 (9,12) (4.8%), C18∶3 (9,12,15) (3.1%), C20∶4 (5,8,11,14) (1.2%), C20∶5 (5,8,11,14,17) (EPA, 9.4%) and C22∶6 (4,7,10,13,16,19) (DHA, 6.7%). Especially, furyl-, cyclopropane- and several odd and branched chain fatty acids were found in Gymnocypris przewalskii oil. It is thus an important dietary resource of functional fatty acids.

Key words: fatty acids, fish oil , gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), Gymnocypris przewalskii