TURKISH JOURNAL OF FISHERIES AND AQUATIC SCIENCES, no.2, pp.261-271, 2011 (SCI-Expanded)
Meat yield, biochemical composition, and fatty acid profile of farmed brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis), Black Sea trout (Salmo trutta labrax) and their hybrids were compared. Hybrids contained significantly higher carcass and meat yield values than brook and Black Sea trout. Although the weight percent head and bone (brook trout as 13.14, 1.66 %, Black Sea trout as 13.52, 1.22 % and their hybrids as 13.92, 1.44 %) of the species were similar, fin, carcass, gonad, liver, internal organs and meat yield of the species were significantly different from each other (P<0.05). Significant variation also occurred in their protein, fat (P<0.001) and ash contents (P<0.05) with the highest protein and fat contents in Black Sea trout. Although some variations occurred (P<0.05) between sexes for total saturated fatty acids (Sigma SFA), there were no significant differences in the overall values among trout samples. Highest SFA was found for Black Sea trout as 22.04%. Hybrid samples contained lowest total monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) as 27.14% and significantly differed from brook trout. The highest polyunsaturated values were found in the hybrid samples as 39.41%. The values of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5 n-3), docosahexanoic acid (DHA 22:6 n-3), Sigma n3 for hybrids were significantly higher compared to others (P<0.05) and accounted for 4.27, 18.48 and 24.98%, respectively. The n3/n6 ratio significantly varied among the samples (1.41-1.89) with the highest value found in hybrids. Hybrid samples showed better meat yield and fatty acid profile compared to brook trout and Black Sea trout. Therefore, aquaculturing hybrid of Salvelinus fontinalis x Salina trutta labrax is beneficial for fish farming and may present higher economical value.