January 29/Food Weekly Focus -- "The effects of steaming, grilling and frying in corn and sunflower oils, respectively, on the fatty acid compositions of farmed and wild sea bream were evaluated. The lipid content increased with frying in both oil types," scientists writing in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry report.
"The maximum moisture value was found in steamed fish (P<0.05). Fried sea bream in corn and sunflower oils contained a lower content of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (P<0.05) (3.87% and 5.32% of total fatty acids (TFA) in farmed fish, and 2.96% and 2.14% TFA in wild fish). The n-3/n-6 ratio decreased significantly after cooking, particularly after frying in corn and sunflower oils, respectively: from 2.51 to 0.08 and 0.12 in farmed fish and from 0.94 to 0.06 and 0.04 in wild fish. The trans fatty acid levels remain stable after steaming and grilling, but they were significantly affected by frying," wrote A.M. Bhouri and colleagues.