Availability of Some Macro and Micro Minerals in Four Freshwater Exotic Food Fish Species in Ten Selected Reservoirs of Uva Province, Sri Lanka

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.