Effects of Four Cooking Methods on the Proximate, Mineral and Fatty Acid Composition of Fish Fillets

The effects of baking, broiling, deep frying and cooking in a microwave oven on the proximate, mineral and fatty acid composition of grouper (Epinephelus morio), red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus), Florida pompano (Trachinotus carolinus) and Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus maculatus) were determined. The lipid content of low fat species was not significantly changed by cooking, but lipid was lost from fatty fillets during cooking. The fatty acid composition of all fillets was not significantly changed by baking, broiling or microwave cooking. Deep fried fillets absorbed the major fatty acids in the cooking medium, and as the fillet lipid content increased the extent of absorption of fatty acids from the cooking medium decreased. Sodium, potassium and magnesium levels were decreased when low fat species were cooked, but these minerals were not lost when raw fillets containing higher lipid levels were cooked. Cooking did not significantly affect the concentration of the microelements, zinc, copper, iron and manganese.