Analysis of Components Characteristics of Lipid in Different Kinds of Shark Livers

The constitutions and characteristics of the lipids extracted from the livers of four kinds of sharks, including Sphyrna lewini, Alopias superciliosus, Prionace glauca and Carcharhinus falciformis, which were systematically analyzed and evaluated in the present study. The results showed that the lipids in shark livers of different species exhibited completely different characteristics. The total lipid content in the liver of the S. lewini was the highest at 60.42%±1.89%, followed by the P. glauca liver and C. falciformis, while the lipid content of the A. superciliosus liver was the lowest at 7.20%±0.33%. The total content of EPA and DHA in the A. superciliosus liver was the highest at 37.27%, and the S. lewini liver possessed the highest phospholipids level (21.20%±0.18%), squalene concentration (330.51±4.96 mg/kg) as well as the alkoxyglycerol contents (207.47±6.50 mg/g).Overall, the shark livers were rich in various marine functional lipids, including phospholipids, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, squalene and alkoxyglycerol, which resulting in the high nutritional value. The contents and constitutions of the lipids in the shark liver of different species were obviously disparate. When exploiting these resources, the directional utilization should be under the premise of meeting the requirements of resource protection and based on the characteristics of the shark livers. This study would provide scientific guidance for the high-value and accurate utilization of shark liver lipid resources.