COMPARISON OF CHOLESTEROL, TOCOPHEROLS, TOCOTRIENOLS AND beta-CAROTENE CONTENTS IN SEA BASS (DICENTRARCHUS LABRAX L.) FROM DIFFERENT PRODUCTION SYSTEMS

摘要

Lipid oxidation is a major cause of quality deterioration in muscle foods, especially in fish, affecting their consumer acceptability, nutritional value and quality. Tocopherols and tocotrienols (vitamin E homologues) and beta-carotene (pro-vitamin A)are important lipid-soluble antioxidants in biological systems, with significant roles in controlling oxidatively induced diseases, such as cancer and atherosclerosis. Cholesterol intake is directly associated to a greater risk of obesity and hypercholesterolemia, conditions that predispose to several chronic diseases, and cholesterol oxidation products exhibit well known mutagenic, carcinogenic and cytotoxic properties. The goal of this work was to compare the contents of total cholesterol, tocopherols, tocotrienols and [3-carotene in wild and farmed (cages and tank) sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.), all types widely consumed in Portugal.