RESIDUE CONTAMINATION LEVELS AND PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF CULTURED SEA BASS (DICENTRARCHUS LABRAX) AND SEA BREAM (SPARUS AURATA) FROM TURKEY

In this study, veterinary drugs, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticide (OCP) residues, colour, texture profile, nutritional value, and chemical composition of sea bass and sea bream cultured in Turkey were examined. The levels of veterinary drug residue, PCB, OCP and heavy metal concentrations found in sea bass and sea bream samples were lower than the maximum residue limits set by the European legislation. While the colour and texture profile of sea bream and sea bass did not differ, differences were obtained in the nutritional composition and macro-mineral content of the fishes. The contents of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), n-3 and n-6 fatty acids in cultured fishes were found to be in the range of 28.4-32.6%, 17.0-22.1% and 8.6-14.6 for sea bass, but 27.7-35.5%, 13.2-19.6% and 9.7-22.4% for sea bream.