Variation in the Proximate Composition, Amino Acids Content and Fatty Acids of Thai Pangus (Pangasianodonhypophthalmus) Fish Depending on Size

The nutritional characteristics such as proximate composition, amino acids, and fatty acids properties of fish depend on the size of fish. Determination of the nutritional parameters of Thai pangus muscle depending on five different sizes, viz., 0.5 kg, 1.0 kg, 1.5 kg, 2.0 kg, and 2.5 kg showed that the moisture content was decreased whereas the protein content was increased with the increment of fish weight. The protein content was the highest 16.60% in 2.5 kg size fish and the lowest content 14.75% was in 0.5 kg size fish. The lipid content was found to increase significantly (P≤0.05) with the increment of fish weight. There were eight essential and nine non-essential amino acids available and the contents were found to increase with the increment of fish weight. The content of essential amino acids was the highest (14.43 g/100 g fish muscle) in 2.5 kg size fish while the lowest (7.79 g/100 g fish muscle) in 0.5 kg size fish. Total 13 fatty acids were detected in fish oil among which oleic acid content was the highest (44.55% to 47.10%) followed by palmitic acid (25.78% to 36.39%), however, the ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids contentwere very poor. The saturated fatty acids content were found to increase whereas the polyunsaturated fatty acids content were found to decrease with increasing the size of fish. So, the findings of this present study reveal that the muscles of Thai Pangus fish are considered as highly nutritive and healthy.