A Comparative Study of Vitamins in the Trunk Muscles of Fishes

A comparative study of vitamins in the trunk muscles of fishes is reported. The investigation comprises two separate studies. Firstly, the relation between the activity of different species and the average vitamin contents of the whole muscle was studied. Secondly, the relation between the vitamin contents of the red and ordinary muscles were studied in several species, and a proposal is put forward as to the possible function of the red muscle in fish. All B-vitamins investigated were determined by microbiological methods, and the results are reported per g fresh weight as well as per g protein. In addition analyses of moisture, protein, fat and ash are reported in the second part of the study. Single samples of the total trunk muscles from 19 cods weighing from 0.5 to 7. 7 1 kg were analysed on niacin, pantotheic acid, riboflavin and vitamin B12. No relation could be observed between the weight of the fish and the vitamin contents of the muscles. Altogether 15 species were studied with regard to their relative contents of niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin and vitamin B12 in the trunk muscles. In general, there seem to be a significant relation between these vitamin contents and the activity of the fishes. The relation was mainly pronounced for species of the same type with regard to external anatomy. Flatfishes were therefore reported as a separate group. In seven species the relations between the contents of niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, vitamin B12 and thiamine in the red and ordinary muscles from the same fishes were reported. The anatomical arrangement and the general histology of the different muscles were briefly described. In addition, analyses of livers from the same species were carried out. The results show that, with the exception of niacin, all other vitamins investigated are present in much higher concentrations in the red than in the ordinary muscle. The general feature of the distribution was very similar to the conditions prevailing in the liver. In most fishes the red muscle had a much higher fat content than the neighbouring ordinary muscle. The results are discussed in relation to other findings reported in the literature with regard to the relative distribution of vitamins and enzymes in the red and ordinary muscle of fish. It is proposed that the main function of the red muscle is not muscular activity, but the function of an organ able to carry out several metabolic processes normally taking place in the liver

The fatty acid composition of cod liver oil

The fatty acid composition has been determined using group separation by thin layer partition chromatography in conjunction with gas liquid chromatography. Values are given for 41 acids as percentages of the sum varying between 0.1 % and 20.6 %. These results have been compared with the results from nine similar studies reported during the last five years. Mean values have been calculated for the eleven major fatty acids, and coefficients of variation are given. A fairly uniform fatty acid composition for cod liver oil emerged from these data. The dominating acid is oleic acid C18:1 (25 %), followed by the five acids C16:0 (11 %), C16:1 (9 %), C20:1 (11 %), C20:5 (9 %) and C22:6 (10 %). A comparison of laboratory extracted oils and commercial cod liver oil has also been reported. A short historical review is given, and the results of two older different methods of analysis are compared with the present results

Growth Inhibitory Effect of Extracts from Milt (Testis) of Different Fishes and of Pure Protamines on Microorganisms

A method has been described for the isolation of protamine from the milt (testes) of fish, employing direct extraction of the organ with dilute sulfuric acid, followed by stepwise precipitation with ethanol. The growth inhibitory effect of different protamine preparations on Saccharomyces carlsbergensis have been studied. 0, 7-0,8 µg clupeine sulphate per ml medium gave complete growth inhibition. It has been pointed out that the type (origin) of the protamine should be given in studies on these substances. The growth inhibition of clupein sulphate on some microorganisms employed in vitamin assays have been tried. For L. plantarum and L. leichmannii growth inhibition was observed at about 5 µg per ml medium, for L. casei at 10 µg, for S. fæcalis at about 150 µg, and for Neurospora crassa at about 50 µg per ml medium Aspergillus niger showed growth promotion, probably caused by enzymatic breakdown of the polypeptide and utilization of the free amino acids

Further studies on Vitamins and the Reproductive Cycle of Ovaries In Cod (Gadus morrhua)

The relations between vitamin B6, vitamin B12, biotin and total dry matter and the reproductive cycle of the ovaries in cod has been investigated. The stage of maturation or regeneration was expressed as the percentage ovary of the fish weight, and the cycle divided into 8 groups from the juvenile stage to the pre-spawning stage. Vitamin B6 showed a strong increase in the first stages, from 0.04 to 2.5 µg per g fresh weight. It remained on this level until spawning. Calculated on the basis of dry matter, the trend was the same and the corresponding values 0.23 to 8.5 µg per g. Vitamin B12 showed a significant decrease from 0.359 µg per g fresh weight in juvenile to 0.266 in the first stage of maturation. It then decreased slowly but significantly to 0.139 to drop just before spawning to 0.092 µg per g fresh weight. The corresponding values calculated on total dry matter were 2.35, 1.63, 0.46 and 0.38 µg per g. Biotin showed an increase in the first stages from 0.119 to 0.220 µg per g fresh weight. Just before spawning the concentration decreased to 0.132 µg per g fresh weight. The trend is similar to the change in dry matter, and calculated on this basis the values remained about 0.75 µg per g until the time of spawning, when it decreased to 0.55 µg per g. Total dry matter increased significantly from 15.3 % to about 30 % to decrease significantly just before spawning

A Comparative Study of Amino Acids in the Muscle of Different Species of Fish

1. The complete amino acid composition in the muscles of ten common food fishes has been investigated by microbiological methods. Each amino acid was determined simultaneously in all samples, thus making a direct comparison of the contents in the different species possible. 2. The amino acid percentages of the protein (N x 6.25) were essentially the same in the muscle of the different fishes. The only exception was the value for histidine in mackerel, which was twice as high as the contents found in the remaining nine species. 3. The present values were generally of the same order as the averages of the data in the literature. 4. The total amino acid nitrogen compared with the total nitrogen of the samples, made it possible to calculate more exact conversion factors for the estimation of protein in fish muscle. This proble1n has been discussed. 5. Compared with FAO's "provisional pattern" for the nutritional requirement, tryptophan was the first limiting amino acid followed by the sulphur containing amino acid. Compared with BENDER's "target values", the sulphur containing amino acids were the only limiting factors

The fatty acid composition of herring oils

Herring oil production in different areas of the world has been reviewed, and the possible variations of the fatty acid composition has been discussed. The literature on the determination of fatty acids in such oils has been reviewed, and results for six different species have been compiled together with some results from the present study. The fatty acid compositions of fat from four different organs from herring (Clupea harengus) have been reported. A gas chromatographic method suitable for the identification of different herring oils has been recommended

Alpha-Tocopherol in Some Marine Organisms and Fish Oils

A study has been made of a-tocopherol in some marine sources. Apart from commercial oils, which were of normal quality, care was taken to ensure fresh material. The a-tocopherol contents have been determined in eleven marine oils, four liver oils and seven body oils. The liver oils showed values from 35-700 µg per g. Cod liver oil ranged from 150-225, whereas Greenland shark liver oil showed very high contents, 300-700 µg a-tocopherol per g. The body oils normally contained 20-80 µg per g, thus eight samples of unspecified fish oils for hydrogenation showed 40-70 µg per g. Capelin oil showed high values, 50-230 µg per g. Fish livers varied greatly, the highest values were found in wrasse and catfish with respectively 108-180 and 290-300 µg a-tocopherol per g. Estimated. values for the liver oils were in the order of 200 µg per g for most species studied, exceptions were again wrasse and catfish with 1540 and 3100 µg per g, respectively. Values of this extremely high order were confirmed in additional analysis on extracted oils from these species. The muscle of ten species of fish were analysed. The a-tocopherol contents varied from 1.0 to 16 µg per g, with a clear tendency for fat fillets to show the highest values. Estimation of the contents in the fats showed values generally in the order 300-500 µg a-tocopherol per g. Some values were confirmed on extracted oils. The distribution of a-tocopherol in different organs were studied on male and female herring, cod and coalfish. There was a striking difference between the content in the liver of the male and female herring. Both were in the spawning state and the male contained ten times more than the female, the estimated values for the liver fat being respectively 7000 and 700 µg per g. No difference of importance could be observed between the testis (soft roe) and ovaries (hard roe), with 32 and 41 µg per g, respectively. The pyloric caeca showed similar values for all species, 8-18 µg per g. The a-tocopherol content of ten species of echinoderms and mollusks were investigated. The analysis refer to the whole animal except for the squid. The values were in the order 4-15 µg per g fresh weight, and approx. 100 µg per g dry weight. Exceptions were the littoral snails periwinckle and limpet, with approx. 40 and 150 µg per g fresh weight, or approx. 200 and 1000 µg per g dry weight, respectively. The high values in the limpet was confirmed in extracted oils. Fat extracted from the deep sea prawn showed 950 µg a-tocopherol per g