Seasonal Variation of the Chemical Content and Fatty Acid Composition of Mantle and Tentacle of Male and Female Sepia officinalis.

The goal of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition and the fatty acid profile of mantle and tentacle of male and female Sepia officinalis, sampled at four seasons from the Mediterranean sea of Tunisia. S. officinalis were found to be rich in glycogen, protein and oil, and significant differences were observed between samples. The level of saturated fatty acid and unsaturated fatty acid showed significant variability among sex and during seasons. DHA and EPA, as polyunsaturated fatty acids, were the most abundant in all samples (14.8-27.8 % and 10.4-18.3 %, respectively). Oleic acid was the most abundant monounsaturated fatty acids (1.63-4.52 %). Σn3 and Σn6 was remarkably different between seasons and among sex. This study could be suitable for the development of reliable guide of fatty acid accumulation in cephalopod. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]