Abstract
Determination was made of lipid content and fatty acid compositions of blubber oils from minke whale and dwarf minke whale caught during 1988/89 and 1989/90. Fatty acid distribution and composition of minke whale blubber oils were essentially the same in both seasons.
Lipid content of blubber oils was generally higher in dwarf minke whale than in ordinary minke whale. While fatty acid distribution was basically the same in both. Fatty acid composition differed significantly in the two species. Fatty acids such as 16 : 0, 18 : 0, 18 : 1 (n -9), 20 : 1 (n -11) and 20 : 4 (n -3) were at higher levels in dwarf minke whale than in minke whale. The polyunsaturated fatty acids with n -3 structures of 20 : 5, 22 : 5 and 22 : 6 were less in dwarf minke whale than minke whale.
