Fish Livers Loaded With Beneficial Fatty Acids

ALMERIA, SpainFish livers are a good source of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) that contribute to overall health, according to a new study published in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis. The findings also reveal anchovies contain the highest levels of the fatty acids.

Researchers at the University of Almeria analyzed 12 kinds of fish commonly eaten in southeastern Spain. They found the livers of the great weever (Trachinus draco) and the European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) showed up the highest levels of LCPUFA (51.4% and 47.9% out of the total fatty acids, respectively). All the species had a combination of omega-3 and omega-6 acids that was "beneficial for human consumption", especially in the case of the liver of the blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou).

"The livers of edible fish are a good source of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA), especially those in the omega 3 family, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)", said lead researcher José Luis Guil-Guerrero.