Comparison of Biometry Traits, Chemical and Fatty Acid Composition of Wild and Farmed Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus Labrax)

Abstract

Sea bass is a fish widely produced, consumed and appreciated in Italy. Its intensive rearing system provide the consumption of valuable fish to wider population. Thanks to the use of an appropriate feed is possible to obtain reared sea bass richer in total lipid with a majority presence of polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as n-3 and n-6 families. A total of 75 specimens of European sea bass from three different origins (two farmed and one wild) were considered, 25 fish from each origin. Biometry traits were valuated as the chemical and fatty acid composition of fillets. Biometric indices, chemical composition and fatty acid profile resulted significantly affected by the rearing system. Fishes from the Intensive rearing system (IRS) showed the highest value of relative profile and condition factor; higher content of lipid and total n-6 that influenced the n-3/n-6 ratio and the atherogenic index; values that make their meats very healthy and indicated for human consumption as the wild fishes.