Abstract
Marine oils originate from the body of fatty fish such as herring and menhaden and the liver of white lean fish such as cod and halibut as well as blubber of marine mammals such as seal and whale. The blubber of harp seal (Phoca groeniandica) is a rich source of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). In addition to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) that are found in fish oils, seal blubber oil (SBO) also contains approximately 5% docosapentaenoic acid (DPA). The dominance of PUFA in the triacyiglycerols (TAG) of SBO is in the sn-1 and sn-3 positions as opposed to the sn-2 position in fish oils. These differences would undoubtedly affect the properties of SBO and influence its assimilation into the body. Concentrates of SBO PUFA with dominance of different fatty acids were prepared and their application in production of structured lipids attempted. The oxidative stability of TAG was superior to that of their simple alkyl esters. Nutraceutical and food application of SBO has also been accomplished with special consideration of oxidative stability of products.
