Proximate and Elemental Composition of Important Fish Species in Makkah Central Fish Market, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

In spite of the established nutritive value of seafood, fishes have a special ability to store some toxic substances such as heavy metals because of its own respiration system. The goal of current study was to explore the proximate chemical composition, minerals content and levels of heavy metals in edible portions of some important commercial fish species available at Makkah Central Fish Market, Saudi Arabia. The obtained results showed that Indian oil sardine fish had the highest value of crude oil (dry weight) recorded 38.00%, while, rusty parrot fish sample had the least of 1.17%. In contrast, rusty parrot fish had the highest value of crude protein represented 90.75% (dry weight), meanwhile, Indian oil sardine had the least of 54.19%. Consuming about 250 g of Indian oil sardine will cover 100% of Fe RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowances), eating 500 g of the same fish will cover about 30% of Ca RDA. While, 500 g of gilt head bream which has the highest content of K, Na and Mg will cover about 11.7%, 1.5% and 4.1% of these minerals RDA, respectively. As physical hazards, fourteen samples from the thirty three studied samples exceeded the permissible limit of Pb and Cd representing about 42%. Therefore, it is strongly recommended not to eat head, gills or viscera of all fishes.