Effect of reproductive maturity on oil yield, proximate composition, and fatty acid profile of marine fish roe

This study evaluated the effects of reproductive maturity on proximate composition, oil yield, and fatty acid profile of roe oil extracted from Thunnus albacares, Katsuwonus pelamis, Canthidermis maculata, and Lepidocybium flavobrunneum . Roe at different maturity stages (immature, maturing, and mature) were analyzed in triplicate. Proximate analysis was conducted to determine the lipid and other nutrient content. Roe oil was extracted using five techniques, namely heat hydrolysis, salt extraction, natural enzymatic hydrolysis, mechanical pressing, and solvent extraction. Fatty acid composition was analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The highest lipid content (p < 0.05) was observed in mature roe of all species compared to immature and maturing stages. Solvent extraction using isopropanol: hexane (2:1) yielded the highest (p < 0.05) roe oil. The highest oil recovery (p < 0.05) was obtained from mature T. albacares (3.52 ± 0.17%). Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) predominated in roe oil with the highest levels detected in immature roe. The highest PUFA content (38.29 ± 1.04%) was observed in immature T. albacares roe oil. In contrast, L. flavobrunneum exhibited a significantly higher proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids, exceeding 45%. Results demonstrated that reproductive maturity and extraction techniques significantly influenced roe oil yield and fatty acid composition.