Abstract:
Developing countries like Sri Lanka, remain overwhelmed by nutritional problems mainly
caused by poverty, natural disasters and political instabilities. Uva province, Sri Lanka is
also suffering from mineral deficiencies and this study aimed to determine some essential
mineral contents of four freshwater exotic food fish species selected according to the
consumer preferences, caught in ten selected reservoirs of Uva province in the means
of enhancing the potential of mineral intake via these food fish. Atomic Absorption
Spectrophotometer was used to analyse both some macro minerals (Na, K, Mg) and
microminerals (Mn, Zn, Fe, Cu) in the fillet of matured fish samples with replicates
of Catla catla (9-13 kg), Oreochromis niloticus (0.4-0.7 kg), Labeo rohita (1.2-1.7 kg)
and Cirrhinus mrigala (1.2- 2.2 kg) from ten selected reservoirs (Dambarawa, Sorabora,
Ulhitiya, Rathkinda, Mapakada, Handapanagala, Yudaganawa, Hambegamuwa, Kiriibbanwewa
and Saddhathissa) in the Uva Province. Kruskal Wallis statistical analyses
showed significant difference (P<0.05) among all fish species in all reservoirs for the ions
of K, Mg, Na, Zn, Mn except Fe and Cu. K values in all fish species were not less than
1388.88 mg/kg, Mg values varied between 211.02- 600.07 mg/kg and Na values were not
exceeding the level of 546.13 mg/kg. Cu and Fe concentrations were identified as below
the detectable level in all fish species except O.niloticus and C.mrigala from Sorabora
reservoir. The concentration of Zn in all fish species was identified between 0.24-15.55
mg/kg from all reservoirs. There was a rich mineral content coming from the flesh of
these four fish species complied with the range of maximum daily recommended limits
for consumption of minerals by FAO/WHO except for the Mn ion from some samples
of O.niloticus (Yudaganawa, Kiriibbanwewa Handapanagala), C.calta (Yudaganawa),
L.rohita (Sorabora, Ulhitiya, Rathkinda, Mapakada) and C.mrigala (Handapanagala).
However, results showed this four fish species from ten reservoirs are rich in minerals
of Zn, Na, K, Mg, Mn and can give a good support to enhance the daily intake of
these minerals by the community of Uva Province to protect them from some mineral
deficiency diseases.
