Chemical Characterization of Oil Extracted from Two Species of Fish (Ilisha africana and Sardinella maderensis) from the Cameroonian Coast

Background: Fish is an important source of food for people. According to the FAO, It is man’s most important single source of high-quality protein and dietary omega-three fatty acids. Objective: The study consisted of the chemical characterization of the oil extracted from Ilisha africana and Sardinella maderensis being fish species from the Cameroonian coast. Material and methods: The fish were collected at the fishing port of Douala, transported to the laboratory, washed with distilled water and filleted. Oil was extracted from the fillets using dichloromethane and methanol. The different indexes of the oil were determined using standard methods and the fatty acid profile by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Results: Ilisha africana and Sardinella maderensis are oily fish. The oil was of good quality various amounts of saturated fatty acids (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Palmitic acid was the major SFA with 28.56% and 30.54% for Ilisha africana and Sardinella maderensis respectively. Palmitoleic acid and 15octadenoic were the major MUFAs in Ilisha africana and Sardinella maderensis, respectively. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) the main omega 3 PUFAs. In both species DHA was the predominant fatty acid among PUFAs. Arachidonic acid and linoleic acid were the major omega 6 PUFAs in Ilisha africana and Sardinella maderensis. Conclusion: These results show that Ilisha africana and Sardinella maderensis are a good source of EPA and DHA and the nutritional quality of lipids may beneficit for human health.