Production and refinement of oil from carp (Cyprinus carpio) viscera

Carp viscera oil can be obtained by both ensilage and fishmeal processes. This study examined the refinement of carp (Cyprinus carpio) oils obtained by both processes, and compared crude, neutralised, bleached, winterised and deodorised oils’ characteristics and lipid profiles. Refined oils obtained by the two processes did not present significant difference (p > 0.05) for Lovibond colour, free fatty acids, and thiobarbituric acid values. The major fatty acids identified in the carp crude, bleached and refined oils were oleic, palmitic, palmitoleic, linoleic and linolenic, constituting approximately 69.6% of the total fatty acids of the oils. The n − 3/n − 6 ratio was approximately 1.05 for refined oil. Therefore, carp viscera refined oil can be considered a rich source of essential fatty acids of the n − 3 and n − 6 series.