Effects of geographic source, rearing system, and season on the nutritional quality of wild and farmed Perca fluviatilis

The effects of season, geographic source (Lake Geneva, Rhine River), and rearing system (extensive, semiextensive, and intensive systems) on the lipid content and FA composition of fillets of Perca fluviatilis were studied. Significant differences in the total lipid content were found between fish coming from the Rhine River and Lake Geneva (1.21 and 1.48%, respectively). Seasonal effects were investigated quarterly for perch sampled in the Rhine River. Intensively reared perch displayed a higher lipid content (1.48%) than the other farmed perch, i.e., 1.26% for a semiextensive system and 1.16% for an extensive system. No significant difference in lipid content was found (i) between lacustrine fish and intensively reared fish or (ii) among fish from the Rhine River and the semiextensive or extensive rearing systems. The main FA were 22∶6n−3 (DHA, 21.3–37.1% of total FA), 16∶0 (17.7–20.2%), 20∶5n−3 (EPA, 9.2–13.2%), 18∶1 (8.0–11.5%), 20∶4n−6 [arachidonic acid (ARA), 1.9–10.7%], 16∶1 (4.3–6.0%), and 18∶2n−6 (2.1–6.0%). In comparison with perch coming from the Rhine River, the lacustrine fish were characterized by higher total n−6 PUFA and a lower proportion of both total monounsaturated FA (MUFA) and total n−3 PUFA. Among rearing systems, extensively farmed fish had higher n−6 PUFA and lower n−3 PUFA contents. Wild fish showed higher ARA and 18∶2n−6 than farmed fish. They also had significantly more EPA (12.5–13.2%) than farmed perch (9.2–10.9%). For DHA no difference existed between (i) the lacustrine fish (31.9% of total FA) and the intensively reared fish (33.0%) and (ii) the Rhine (37.1%) and semiextensively reared fish (36%). Effects of size, diet composition, and environmental conditions on the total lipid contents and FA composition are discussed.