Introduction: The tiger tooth croaker (Otolithes ruber) is a popular fish in the Persian gulf area and due to its economical and nutritional values has attracted the attention of many researchers. The aim of this work is to investigate and evaluate the chemical COMPOSITION of this fish with particular reference to its constituent fatty acids.Materials and Methods: Moisture, ash, fat and proteins were determined by AOAC standard methods of 952.08, 938.08, 948.16 and 968.06 respectively. The determinations of fatty acids were carried out according to Morph (1993(.Results: Moisture, ash, protein and fat concentrations were 76.51, 2.10, 15.21 and 4.12% respectively; therefore this fish might not be regarded as a fatty fish. The saturated, monounsaturated and poly unsaturated fatty acid were 34.76, 39.06 and 22.22% of the total fatty acids respectively. Palmitic and stearic acids were the predominant saturated fatty acids while oleic acid with concentration of 22.69 constituted the major mono unsaturated fatty acid. Docosahexaenoic acid a poly unsaturated fatty acid at the concentration of 12.23% was present.Conclusion: The results indicated that this fish is a good source of protein and due to its fatty acids ratio might be regarded as a nutritious and healthy food to be consumed by the Iranian families.

This study was conducted to evaluate the amount of moisture, protein, lipid and ash of wild and farmed Azolla (Azolla filiculoides) for nutritional application of livestock and human. Fatty acid COMPOSITION of Azolla, a key component for making decision about the nutritional value, of both Wild and farmed types was also compared. The Azolla samples were collected from Pirbazar region, Anzali Wetland and cultured in aquarium containing appropriate medium to consider the process of growth and propagation. The fatty acid COMPOSITION of wild and farmed samples was determined according to the Folch method for GC Analysis after the lipid esterification. No significant difference (p>0.05) was observed between wild and farmed Azolla in the amount of saturated fatty acids (SFAs), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). However, palmitic acid, margaric acid, oleic acid, cis-linoleic acid, and a-linolenic acid of wild Azolla was significantly higher than farmed type (p<0.05). In contrast, lignoceric acid amount of farmed Azolla was significantly (p<0.05) higher than wild Azolla. Given the appropriate amount of lipid, both types of wild and farmed Azolla could be used as feed for livestock, poultry and even human, although wild Azolla had more lipid content compared to the farmed type. Furthermore, speed of propagation followed by the short doubling time of Azolla in vitro provides the ability for adequate amounts of oil extraction from this fern.

Purpose: Moringa oleifera is a multi-purpose plant. The growth curve would determine harvest date and maturity indices. Analysis of PROXIMATE and mineral constituents would highlight nutritional and health benefits. Research methods: Investigations were conducted on growth curve parameters, maturation indices, PROXIMATE and mineral COMPOSITIONs of moringa plant parts (Moringa oleifera) on four-year-old tress from 2016-2019. Findings: The growth curve depicted a single sigmoid shape. Pods harvested 25 days after flowering were immature (M1), with a light-green skin colour, firm, tender seeds, and light greenish-cream flesh and seeds. Pods attained horticultural maturity with optimum cooking quality 32 days (M2) post-anthesis with corresponding maturity indices being firm, light greenish-cream-flesh and well–formed seed. Dried partially senesced over-matured pods (M3), harvested after 51 days, had a light-brown dermal layer enclosing dark brown firm seeds with the highest fat and crude fiber being 200.3 g/kg and 314.5 g/kg. Green-tender seeds showed the highest crude protein content of 296.0 g/kg. Immature leaves (L1) had the highest dry matter content while stage 2 leaves had the highest ash content. Matured pods showed the highest moisture content. Mineral contents of stage 3 leaves (L3) consisted of magnesium (4255.6ppm) while stage 1 leaves had the most iron (147.0 ppm) and potassium (30210.0ppm). Leaves at stage 2 had the most sodium (2547.9 ppm) and boron (23.1 ppm). Research limitations: Limited cultivars.  Originality/Value: Maturity indices on the growth curve confirmed the multi-purpose nature of the moringa plant and benefits to the food and health industries.

Fishes are one of the most important food sources of human societies, and they have significant contributions in providing some macronutrient and micronutrient compounds for humans. They have differences in terms of the presence of such valuable compounds, whose amounts are different among different species of fish and determine the desired aquatic nutritional value. In the present study, macronutrient compounds (moisture, protein, lipid, and ash) in the edible part (muscle) of six species of the most abundant farmed fish available in the market of Karaj metropolis were evaluated using the AOAC method. For this purpose, the experimental fishes (including Silver carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix; Common carp, Cyprinus carpio; Grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella, Big head, Hypophthalmichthys nobilis; Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus and Rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss) were purchased from Karaj fish market and taken to the laboratory. The results showed no significant differences in protein and ash content among the studied fish species (P>0.05), but there were differences in the moisture and lipid between experimental species, so in terms of lipid and moisture content, rainbow trout had the highest and lowest values, respectively (P≤0.05). Based on the results, despite the difference in the number of macronutrient compounds in the investigated species, the farmed fish offered to the Karaj fishmongers market have good nutritional value, and their consumption is recommended.

Background and Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the body COMPOSITION in the muscles of four species of Caspian sea fish in autumn and spring. Methods: PROXIMATE COMPOSITION including moisture, protein, fat, ash and carbohyrate were determined in four fish species, Alburnus chalcoides (A. ch. ), Rutilus rutilus (R. r. ), Luciobarbus capito (L. c. ) and Alosa kessleri (A. k. ) from South Caspian Sea in autumn and spring. Findings: The obtained results indicated that carbohydrate and ash content were not significantly different among the four species in both seasons and also  between the two seasons (P<0. 05). Changes in moisture, fat and protein indicate that while there was a decline in moisture content, fat and protein content evidently increased in both seasons. In autumn, it is found that L. c. and R. r. had the highest moisture and lowest protein and fat content while significant declines in the moisture content of A. k. and A. ch. was observed which is in good agreement with the increase in both fat and protein contents of these two species in this season. Similar trend to autumn was observed in spring so that R. r. and L. c. with the highest amount of moisture had the lowest content of fat while A. k. and A. ch. with the lowest amount of moisture had the highest content of protein and fat. L. c., R. r., A. ch. and A. k. are classified as lean, low fat, medium fat and high fat fish respectively based on the results. Results also showed that in most cases there was a significant difference among the moisture, protein and fat content of the four fish species between the two seasons of autumn and spring (P<0. 05). Conclusion: Overall, the results showed that these four fish species might be in spawning period and have developing eggs in spring and so that had more moisture and less fat and protein in their flesh  in this season.

The nutritional quality of commercially available Artemia strains is relatively poor in Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), Arachidonic acid (ARA) and especially Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Hence, it is essential and common practice to enrich this live prey with emulsions of special oils. One commercial ICES30/4 (Belgium), Linseed oil as a vegetable oil, Cod liver oil and Sturgeon ovary oil as two animal oils with EPA amounts in these oils were 6.29, 0.03, 11.39, 7.55 and the DHA amounts were 20.90, 0.00, 7.64, 2.76 respectively with three concentrations (100, 200 and 300ppm) during two enrichment periods (12 and 24h) were tested in order to improve the HUFA content, the DHAIEPA ratio and ARA content of Artemia urmiana nauplii.The results showed that Artemia enriched with different levels of vegetable oil and enrichment periods was poor in relation to either HUFA content and DHAIEPA ratio but the fish oils and emulsion resulted in HUFA incorporation. Sturgeon ovary oil caused the poorest DHAIEPA ratio enrichment (0.40 in 300ppm-24h) but the commercial emulsion (ICES30/4) was found as the best for DHA/EPA ratio enrichment (1.20 in 300ppm-24h). Cod liver oil (0.53 in 100ppm-24h) can be a good internal source substitute for improving the DHAIEPA ratio enrichment compared to ICES30/4 due to price and availability. As a result, HUFA content was increased with enrichment level 200ppm during 24h. Also, all oil sources improved lipid and protein percentages in A. urmiana nauplii.

The study was undertaken to determine the comparative studies on the PROXIMATE COMPOSITION and anti-nutritional factors of Garcinia kola. The PROXIMATE COMPOSITION and anti-nutritional factors were performed on the seed kernel, fruit pulp, and the fruit pod of Garcinia kola. Analyses for nutritional (moisture content, ash, protein content, crude fibre, fat, carbohydrate) and anti-nutritional (phytate, oxalate tannin, alkaloid, saponin, flavonoid) COMPOSITION were conducted. The fruit pod had higher ash content than the fruit pulp and seed kernel. The fruit pulp had the highest moisture content, followed by the fruit pod and lastly by the seed kernel. The protein and fat contents of the seed kernel and fruit pod were similar but higher than those of the fruit pulp. Carbohydrate content was higher in seed kernel than in the fruit pulp and fruit pod. The results of anti-nutritional analyses indicated that the seed kernel and fruit pulp of Garcinia kola did not have a high concentration of anti-nutrients. Thus, the consumption of the species is not detrimental to health and can be used as food supplements in food manufacturing.

The visceral storage fat and liver of patin catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) are normally discarded, which incurs cost and can cause environmental pollution. However, these may be potential sources to extract fish oil. The PROXIMATE and fatty acid COMPOSITIONs of liver and fatty tissue of patin catfish were investigated to evaluate the suitability of these by-products for extracting fish oil. Fat was extracted using a low temperature solvent extraction method. The average fat content of fatty tissue and liver of females were 77.64 and 11.71%, respectively, whereas in males this was73.23 and 9.59%, respectively. Fatty acids found in the extracted oil of these byproducts were C12: 0, C14: 0, C14: 1, C16: 0, C16: 1, C18: 0, C18: 1, C18: 2, C18: 3, C18: 4, C20: 0, C20: 1, C20: 4, C20: 5, and C22: 6.The major fatty acids presented in these tissues were palmitic (C16: 0), oleic (C18: 1n-9), and linoleic acid (C18: 2 n-6). The total amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids of liver from male and female patin catfish were 13.31 and 13.30%, respectively, whereas in the fatty tissue these were11.64 and 12.09%, respectively. The n-3 to n-6 ratios of liver and fatty tissue of females were 1.61and 0.95, respectively, whereas in male fish these were 1.31 and 1.05, respectively. Results of this study indicated that the liver and fatty tissues of patin catfish are suitable sources of fish oil specifically due to the presence of monounsaturated and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.