Enhancement of EPA/DHA content in potentially functional canned tuna

In recent studies, the impact of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) bioactivity on human health has attracted much interest. Indeed, it has been reported that PUFA exert several functions at the cellular level [1] and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are essential fatty acids (FA) associated with a lowering effect of the risk of cardiovascular diseases [2]. Thus, claims from European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) state that an intake of i) 0.25-0.50 g EPA+DHA/day will maintain the normal cardiac function, ii) 2 g EPA+DHA/day is necessary for triglycerides levels reduction and iii) 3 g for maintenance of normal blood pressure values [3,4]. Canned tuna is highly appreciated by consumers and considered an attractive alternative to the perishable fresh fish due to its sensory attributes and longer shelf-life. However, a daily intake of the bioactive EPA+DHA dose cannot be achieved by a reasonable dietary portion of canned tuna. Hence, the aim of this work was to develop a functional canned tuna in oil with enhanced EPA/DHA contents, in order to meet with EFSA’s different claims. Accordingly, commercial fish (with lemon flavor), cod liver and krill oils were assayed at different proportions with soya oil.