Seasonal changes in proximate composition of anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus, L.) from the central Adriatic

Anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus, L.) is the only European representative of the Engraulidae family and it is an endemic species of the Mediterranean-Atlantic region. It belongs to the group of small pelagic fish, caught along the Mediterranean shores and widely spread in the Adriatic Sea. The migration of anchovies from coastal regions towards open sea waters is related to their age and size, thus bigger (older) anchovies mainly inhabit the open sea. Mesenteric fat content changes during the year depending on the sexual cycle, showing the maximum values during winter months. The anchovies are caught all the year around, but mainly within the springThe chemical composition of fish varies greatly depending on the starvation and intensive food intake periods and other external factors such as sea temperature. The seasonal changes define the application of different technological processes and are an aspect of quality of raw material, sensory attributes and storage stability. The results of monthly proximate composition analysis of the edible portion of anchovy were investigated over a period of two years. The average proximate composition of anchovy caught in the Adriatic Sea was as follows: water content 76.52 ± 1.38 %, protein content 21.34 ± 0.29 %, fat content 2.27 ± 1.20 %, ash content 1.42 ± 0.08 %. Protein and ash content showed small annual variations and differences within months were mostly insignificant. The fat and water content showed significant seasonal changes and a very strong negative correlation between fat and water content was observed (r = 0.947). The fat content varied from 0.86 to 4.47 %, with a minimum in February and maximum in October. There was a statistically significant relationship between fat and water content at the 99% confidence level, indicating that this relation could be used to estimate fat content based on the analytical determination of water content.