Impact of Modern Oven Treatments on Lipid Oxidation and Vitamin E Content of Fillets from Sardine (Sardina pilchardus) at Different Reproductive Cycle Phase
Ancuta Nartea; Lama Ismaiel; Emanuela Frapiccini; Pasquale Massimiliano Falcone; Deborah Pacetti; Natale Giuseppe Frega; Paolo Lucci; Sabrina Colella;
Abstract: The beneficial effects of sardine consumption can be related to the presence of bioactive
compounds, such as vitamin E and !3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. In any case, the levels of these
compounds in sardine fillet depend on different factors mainly related to the diet and reproductive
cycle phase of the fish as well as the technological treatments carried out to cook the fillets. The aim of
the present study is two-fold: first, to evaluate changes in the total fatty acid profile, lipid oxidation,
and vitamin E content of raw fillets from sardine (Sardina pilchardus) at different reproductive cycle
phases (pre-spawning, spawning, and post-spawning); and second, to highlight how these nutritional
profiles are affected by three oven treatments (conventional, steam, and sous-vide). For this purpose,
raw fish was grouped into pre-spawning, spawning, and post-spawning phases according to the
mesenteric fat frequency and the gonadosomatic index evaluation, and submitted to conventional
(CO), steam (SO), and sous-vide (SV) baking. The ratio of EPA/DHA and vitamin E increased from
post-spawning to pre-spawning, to spawning. Considering the reproductive phases, baking affected
the oxidative degree differently: a CO > SO SV impact was found in the worst scenario (postspawning),
mitigated by vitamin E, to CO SO > SV in the best scenario (spawning). SV was the
best treatment with high values of vitamin E in pre-spawning individuals (110.1 mg/kg). This study
shows how vitamin E is correlated to the combined effect of endogenous and exogenous factors.
2023 - Articolo in rivista
Antioxidants 13 (2023): 1–16.
Keywords: gonadosomatic index, mesenteric fat;, steam oven, sous-vide oven, vitamin E, !3 polyunsaturated fatty acids