Investigation of seasonal and cooking effects on the bioaccessibility of elements in most consumed fish in Turkey

Abstract

An in-vitro gastrointestinal extraction method has been performed to determine the bioaccessibility of As, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Se and Ti in the most consumed fish (anchovy, bream, sardines, horse mackerel, seabass and whiting) in Turkey. The effects of the season, i.e. September and March and the effects of cooking on the bioaccessibility of these elements were analysed statistically. Classification of the fish samples was performed using ANOVA and Principal Component Analysis chemometric methods to determine whether the bioaccessiblity of these elements is higher in the gastric or intestinal digestions. In general, the results showed that trace elements are more bioaccessible in raw fish compared with cooked and in September irrespective of whether the fish is fattier or not. In addition, the bioaccesible concentrations of these elements in anchovy, sardines and horse mackerel were higher than in the other species. It shows that these fish types have higher levels of elemental accumulation than seabass, bream and whiting.