Fatty acid compositions of Turbo coronatus Gmelin 1791

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to determine the fatty acid composition of the edible snail Turbo coronatus from the Bahrain sea.Design/methodology/approachTotal lipid content was extracted and methyl esters of fatty acids (FAMEs) were prepared and analyzed by gas chromatography.FindingsGas‐liquid chromatography shows that saturated fatty acids (SFA) are the major forms of fatty acids, followed by polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA). The most abundant PUFA are linolenic acid (18:3n‐3), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA 20:5n‐3), linoleic acid (18:2n‐6), and arachidonic acid (ARA 20:4n‐6), the MUFA 16:1 (n‐7), and the SFA 16:0, 14:0, 18:0 and 20:0. The sum of EPA and DHA is 8.04 per cent. The n‐3/n‐6 fatty acids ratio approximately (2:1) is within the range of marine molluscs. The principle differences in the fatty acid composition of Turbo coronatus than most marine molluscs is their low DHA (0.23±0.01 per cent), low PUFA (40.92 per cent), and high SFA contents (49.25 per cent). The principle differences in the fatty acid composition of Turbo coronatus from most marine molluscs is their low DHA (0.23±0.01 per cent), low PUFA (40.92 per cent), and high SFA contents (49.25 per cent).Research limitations/implicationsThe Turbo coronatus samples were collected from Shaikh Ebrahim Island; however, further studies regarding the fatty acid composition of Turbo coronatus from other locations are required.Practical implicationsThe results suggest that Turbo coronatus feeds on bacteria‐enriched detritic matter as well as phytoplankton and algae. The low concentration of PUFA in relation to SFA in Turbo coronatus can be attributed to warm water, high salinity, and food availability.Originality/valueThe paper provides valuable information about the fatty acid contents in Turbo coronatus, and its feeding habits, and nutritional values.