Nutritional composition and safety of Patagonotothenramsayi, a discard species from Patagonian Shelf

Patagonotothen ramsayi, a nototheniid discard species from the southwest Atlantic, was studied to evaluate its composition, quality and suitability for human consumption. The chemical composition of the flesh revealed that P. ramsayi is a valuable food with protein and fat contents ranging between 16–19% and 0.78–1.34%, respectively. It has a high amount of unsaturated fatty acids, especially docosahexaenoic acid (30–42%) and eicosapentaenoic acid (12–18%). It is also a potential source of minerals, with important amounts of magnesium, potassium and phosphorous. The microbial quality of P. ramsayi was good and the detection of toxic metals such as Pb, Cd and Hg revealed that there is no intrinsic risk associated with its consumption. Additionally, no parasites with potential public health implications were found in the flesh. Finally, its flesh is white, with a shellfish odour, and has a firm and elastic texture. The present study shows that P. ramsayi is a nutritious species of high value for human consumption.