TOTAL LIPID CONTENTS AND LIPID CLASSES IN COMMERCIAL FISHES OF SELECTED KENYAN FRESHWATERS

Many societies are becoming more and more reliant on natural products as opposed to synthetic products. This study focused on determining and documenting information regarding total fish lipid contents and classes including the nutritional and dietary data from various commercial fish species found in Kenyan freshwaters. Kenya has a long coastal strip, inland lakes and rivers, which provide the necessary sources of the various aquatic natural products. A total of twelve fish species were sampled from all regions as follows: two from Lake Turkana, six from Lake and four from river Tana and their total lipid contents and lipid classes were analysed. The mean lipid contents ranged between 0.4 ? 4.7 % for the fishes from Tana River, 0.6 ? 38.8 % for the fishes of Lake Victoria and 3.5 ? 14 % for the fishes of Lake Turkana. Triacylglycerides (TAG) was the dominant lipid class ranging between 0.03% for Labeo fish of Tana River and 10.08 % for Labeo fish of Lake Victoria. These were followed by the phospholipids (PL) such as the PE ranging between 0.03% for tilapia fish of Tana River and 3.64 % for Labeo fish of Lake Victoria while PC ranged between 0.02 % for tilapia of Tana River and 0.73 % of catfish of Lake Victoria. In conclusion, most of the freshwater fishes found in Kenya have relatively high total lipid content hence can be used to suppress cardiovascular diseases due to benefits associated with this fish lipids.