Fatty Acid Content and Lipid Nutritional Indexes in the Antarctic Krill Euphausia superba Collected from Three Regions of the Atlantic Sector of Antarctica

The total lipid (TL) and fatty acid (FA) contents in tissues and body segments were studied in adult Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) caught in three regions of the Atlantic sector of Antarctica with different environmental conditions. Significant differences in lipid and FA status of the Antarctic krill tissues and body segments were observed in the regions. Main metabolic indices indicating quality of lipids showed that E. superba has a high nutritional value. In particular, lipids are highly unsaturated in the species and ratios of physiologically significant and essential FAs are favorable to human health. This was assumed to be a distinctive biochemical characteristic of the species. Data from the study can be used to form a scientifically based approach to further technological processing of raw krill and targeted extraction of certain substances and components of a lipid nature.