Physico-Chemical Characteristics and Quality Evaluation of Malaysia Haruan (Channa striatus)and Toman (Channa micropeltes) Fish Oil: Preliminary Quality Analysis Prior to Therapeutic Consumption

The local Channa species used in this research were Channa striatus (haruan) and Channa micropeltes (toman). Both samples were extracted using soxhlet extraction to procure the fish oil and then examined on its physico-chemical properties. The C. micropeltes species shows the highest yield of extracted fish oil (%, w/w) with dry weight basis (9.51 ± 1.20%). The physico-chemical results of the fish oil from haruan and toman were as follows respectively; colour: yellowish dark red for both species, specific gravity: 0.93 ± 0.10, 0.91 ± 0.03; AV: 21.78 ± 2.30 mg KOH/g, 5.55 ± 1.64 mg KOH/g; FFA: 10.95 ± 1.16%, 2.79 ± 0.83% and PV: 18.00 ± 6.56. meq./kg, 14.67 ± 3.79 meq./kg. Both fish oils showed a relatively comparable fatty acid profile. The availability of seven major enriched fatty acid constituents in both fish oils namely dodecanoic acid, 9-hexadecenoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, linoleic acid, oleic acid, octadecanoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid andaninfinitesimal amount of arachidonic acid (the main precursor for wound healing process) may perhaps berequisite for therapeutic consumption.