Fatty acid profile and proximate composition of the thornback ray (Raja clavata, L. 1758) from the Sinop coast in the Black Sea

The fatty acid and proximate composition in the flesh of thornback ray (Raja clavata, L. 1758) collected in the coast of Sinop in Turkey were evaluated. Proximate analyses of thornback ray are rich in protein (20.02%) and low in lipid (0.51%). The crude ash and moisture contents were found as 1.38% and 77.47%, respectively. The total SFA, MUFA and PUFA content were 48.27%, 13.98% and 24.10% of total fatty acids, respectively. Palmitic acid (C16:0, 26.45%) and stearic acid (C18:0, 10.62%) were the dominant saturated fatty acids. The major unsaturated fatty acids were determined as docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6 n3, 12.21%), oleic acid (C18:1, 8.88%) and linoleic acid (C18:2, 3.43%). The results of this study have showed that thornback rays are good sources of protein. The atherogenic index (AI) and index of throm- bogenicity (IT) were calculated as 2.37 and 0.63, respectively.