Mediterranean Seafood: Functional Food Properties

E. Prato;I. Parlapiano;P. Addis;F. Biandolino

2017-01-01

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Abstract

An understanding of the biochemical composition of edible organisms is extremely important to determine their nutritional value. Some species can be recommended for human consumption only after assessing their nutritive value. Eating the right foods can help prevent, or more successfully manage, an illness. Seafoods have been recognized as nutraceuticals, or functional foods, with beneficial effects on one or more targeted functions. They contain important biochemical components, such as total protein, carbohydrates, and lipids, and in particular fatty acids, which are essential for human health. The aim of this study was to profile the chemical characteristics and nutritive value of certain species, caught in the Ionian Sea, that are of high commercial interest in Mediterranean countries and are found in fish markets.