Lipid classes, fatty acid and phospholipid composition of roe lipids from Catla catla and Cirrhinus mrigala

The lipid profiles and fatty acid composition of fish eggs (roes) from two common freshwater fish species viz., catla (Catla catla) and mrigal (Cirrhinus mrigala) have been studied. The total lipid of the egg was extracted using chloroform/methanol (2:1, v/v) and was separated into neutral lipids, glycolipids and phospholipids using silica gel column chromatography. The fatty acid composition of the total lipid and the lipid classes was analysed by GC, GCMS and the phospholipids fraction was analysed by high performance liquid chromatography. The neutral and phospholipid fractions were 46.5 and 27.6% in catla, and 51.3 and 27.4% in mrigal. In total lipids, hexadecanoic acid was found to be the major fatty acid at 34.7 and 37.5% in catla and mrigal respectively. Octadecanoic acid was found to be 13.8 and 12.3% and octadecaenoic acid at 22.9 and 17.9% in catla and mrigal roe lipids. Eicosapentaenoic acid was found to be 2.0 and 0.5% while docosahexaenoic acid was to an extent of 6.9 and 8.9% in catla and mrigal respectively. The phospholipid fraction was rich in phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine as seen from HPLC analysis.