Proximate Composition of Canadian Atlantic Fish: I. Variation in Composition of Different Sections of the Flesh of Atlantic Halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus)

The composition of various portions of the edible flesh of Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) varies greatly, especially in lipid content. The muscle of the belly flap and the dark muscle along the lateral lines in the upper and lower sides have a high lipid content, 2.4 to 9.7%, with correspondingly lower moisture content, about 68 to 75%, and a slightly low protein content, about 16.3 to 19% (protein N × 6.25) in comparison with the light meat. The latter, which makes up the larger part of the edible tissue, nearly 90%, ranges from 0.9 to 1.4% lipid, 75 to 77% moisture and 17.5 to 20.3% protein. These values are almost identical to those for Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis). Non-protein nitrogenous extractives are also lower in the white meat.The figures most often quoted in nutritional tables for the lipid content of halibut (5 to 6%) are probably much too high for the portions usually eaten, which average about 1.2% for the white meat, and about 1.5% if the dark meat is included.