Assessment of Omega-3 Fatty Acids (EPA& DHA) in the Liver and Muscle Tissues of Red Mullet (Mullus Barbatus Barbatus) from the Market of Al-Bayda City: Comparative Study with Regional References

Omega-3 poly unsaturated fatty acids, particularly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) & Docosahexanoic acid (DHA), are essential nutrients for a human health, playing critical role in cardiovascular and cognitive functions, The red Mullet (Mullus barbatus barbatus) is important a commercially fish species in Mediterranean, but it's nutritional profile can vary significantly od to Environmentally an dietary factors. This study aimed to quantify and compare of the concentration of EPA and DHA in the liver and muscle Tissues of red mullet obtained from the local market of Al-bayda City, Libya. Lipids were extract using a modified Folch method, and fatty acids Methyl Esters (FAMEs) were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results showed that the DHA was the dominated fatty acid in both tissues, with concentrations approximately double those of EPA. The Liver tissue Exhibited significantly higher combined concentrations of EPA and DHA (7.79% of total fatty Acids) compared to the muscle tissue (3.09%). When compared to reference study from eastern Mediterranean (Iskenderun bay) [4], our findings revealed a substantially lower content of both EPA (0.89% vs 4.59%) and DHA (2.01 vs 8.25%) in the muscle tissue in the Libyan red mullet. This disparity is likely to this attributable to local environmental conditions, dietary deficiencies and seasonal variations, which may affect the nutritional quality of the fish. This study provides baseline data of fatty acid profile of red mullet were study highlighting the need for further seasonal and ecological research to understand the factor influencing its nutritional value.