Tilapias supplemented with vitamin E contained arachidonic acid (20:4 DAPT ω-6; AA) (Table 2). However, it was not detected in non-supplemented fish. Vitamin E may therefore be involved in the activation of elongase and desaturase enzymes, which participate in the transformation of linoleic acid (18:2 ω-6) into AA, as reported by Mourente, Good, and Bell (2005). Tocher et al. (2002) found no effects of vitamin E supplementation on liver fatty acid composition in Scophthalmus maximus and Hippoglossus hippoglossus. However, they found that a supplementation level

of 1000 mg of vitamin E/kg in the diet increased AA levels in Sparus aurata. Despite these results, treatment with the highest vitamin E supplementation (200 mg/kg diet) did not produce carcasses with high AA content. AA is a prostaglandin and thromboxane biosynthesis precursor, indirectly affecting processes such as blood coagulation and endothelial healing in humans ( Memon, Talpur, Bhanger, & Balouch, 2011). Docosahexaenoic acid (22:6 ω-3; DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5 ω-3; EPA) are long-chain fatty acids that prevent and attenuate inflammatory ABT-263 in vivo processes and heart diseases. The present study did not detect DHA (22:6, ω-3) in the Nile tilapia carcasses evaluated and only a small fraction of EPA (20:5, ω-3) (Table 2). This result is expected because DHA derives from EPA which, in turn, derives from

linolenic acid (18:3, ω-3), which was detected at low levels in the carcasses. Probably, the activity of desaturase and elongase enzymes, involved in the synthesis of omega-3 PUFA series are also low. Although Nile tilapias do not need PUFA addition to their diet (Kanazawa et al., Arachidonate 15-lipoxygenase 1980 and Takeuchi and Watanabe, 1983), tilapia meat with higher PUFA content is more popular with consumers (Huang, Huang, & Lee, 1998). This is because

the human body has little ability to convert into EPA and DHA PUFAs, occurring with low efficiency, about 10 to 15% (Emken, Adlof, & Gulley, 1994) and due to the health benefits of these acids (Visentainer, Carvalho, Ikegaki, & Park, 2000). EPA and DHA are known to protect against heart diseases (Guler, Aktumsek, Citil, Arslan, & Torlak, 2008). Monounsturated fatty acids also protect humans against heart diseases, but less efficiently than PUFA (Visentainer et al., 2000). The omega-3:omega-6 ratio was higher in Nile tilapia carcasses receiving 100 and 150 mg of vitamin E/kg diet than in fish using other treatments (Table 2). These values are under those of 0.5 to 3.8 reported by Henderson and Tocher (1987), but similar to that found by Maia, Rodriguez-Amaya, and Fraco (1992) for tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) meat. With respect to the PUFA:SFA ratio, the overall values were above 0.45, the minimum value recommended by the Health Department (HMSO, 1994).