Physicochemical Characteristics and Nutritional and Biological Properties of Fish Oils in Cameroon: An Overview

Abstract

Due to their significant health benefits, fish oils have garnered increasing interest in recent decades. However, Cameroon’s fish oil market remains insignificant, and the few available products are imported, despite the country’s abundant marine resources. Additionally, research on Cameroonian fish oils is relatively recent and scarce. Therefore, this manuscript provides an overview of research on fish oils in Cameroon, focusing on their physicochemical characteristics, as well as their nutritional and biological properties. As of March 2023, 26 studies on fish oils in Cameroon have been published, with a focus on 23 species collected in the littoral, far-north, and west regions of Cameroon. Filets were the main parts used, and the Bligh Dyer and Soxhlet methods were the primary oil extraction techniques. Depending on the species, tissues, and extraction methods, oil contents ranged from 4.57% to 32.10% dry matter or yielded 0.36% to 66.83% wet weight. These oils generally meet recommended standards for markers of acidity and oxidation. Fatty acid profiles from 16 species showed a total of 48 fatty acids, including those that are beneficial to human health. Oils from eight species were found to significantly reduce weight, hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, hepatomegaly, and adipomegaly, while four species showed activity against bacteria responsible for food poisoning. Future work should include all fish species found in Cameroon, with a focus on by-products, and explore the physicochemical, functional, nutritional, and biological properties of these oils.