Vitamin content of fish and fish products consumed in Portugal

Abstract

Portuguese Food Composition Table only includes values for vitamins A, B1, B2, PP determined before 1963. Most fish and fish products consumed in Portugal are not included in international food composition tables. Aims: To study vitamin content of fish and fish products consumed in Portugal. Design: Vitamins A, E, D, B1, B2, B6, B12, PP and Folate content was determined in fifty-six samples of raw and cooked fish and fish products, collected between October 1999 and February 2002. A total of thirty-four species (thirty fish and four molluscs) were analysed raw. Twelve fish species and two molluscs were also analysed cooked at least by one cooking method in a total of twentytwo cooked samples. Vitamins A, E, D, B1, B2, B6, PP contents were determined by HPLC methods. Folates and B12 contents were determined by microbiological methods. Results: Vitamin profiles differed significantly between species. Variability in vitamin content was observed and was wider for lipossoluble vitamins. Excluding values under the Limit of Detection, the results varied over a factor of 100 for vitamins A, E, D, a factor of 20 for B6, B12 and niacin and a factor of 15 for B1 and B2. Folate showed the lower variability (factor < 5). Conclusion: The wide variability of vitamin content between species observed strengthens the importance of producing data derived from a selection of species representative of the national food habits.