The concept of healthy or the functional food is becoming popular in global food scenario because of its positive link with spreading of lifestyle diseases. As a consequence of this, the evaluation of nutritional and functional quality of food and food ingredients is becoming indispensable. Worldwide, many food components are being taken up for evaluation of nutritional and functional quality. Among the long array of the functional foods, fish has a long history of preventing humankind from many chronic lifestyle diseases of old ages, and it is taken equally by rich and poor people for their inherent functionality and nutritional potential respectively. Coldwater fish not only contains long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFAs; eicosapentaenoic acid, EPA and docosahexaenoic acid, DHA), but it is also a source of other health promoting bioactive components, such as vitamin D and A, selenium, iron, zinc, manganese, etc. Fish is a rich source of protein. Because of the presence of these intrinsically balanced desirable nutrients and inherent bio-active components, fish comes to everyone’s plate irrespective of rich or poor, young or old, healthy or unhealthy. Considering the importance of fish in human health, ICAR-Directorate of Coldwater Fisheries Research (ICAR-DCFR), Bhimtal took the responsibility of evaluating the nutrient composition of coldwater fishes under the umbrella of ICAR’s network project #3 “Nutrient profiling and evaluation of fish as a dietary component” with a view to generate knowledgebase on nutrient quality and to popularize fish consumption. With the sincere efforts of the ICAR-DCFR, nutrient composition data of 24 coldwater fish species are now available and we are sure that the present book “Fish as Health Food” will provide very useful information on the nutrient profile of coldwater fishes and their prospects in human nutrition for consumers. This book will serve as a knowledgebase and an indispensable reference to the physicians, dieticians, scientists, teachers, students and other stakeholders to understand the nutritional significance of fishes and coldwater fish species in particular.
Dr. Debajit Sarma, Principal Scientist, ICAR-Directorate of Coldwater Fisheries Research, Bhimtalobtained his B.F.Sc. degree from College of Fisheries, Assam Agricultural University; M.F.Sc. in Fisheries Resource Management from ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Mumbai and Ph.D. in Aquaculture from Gauhati University. He has worked as Director (Acting) of ICAR-DCFR for 3 years 4 months. He has published 88 research papers in peer reviewed national and international journals besides 56 research articles, 8 books and 48 book chapters. He has been conferred Fellowship by various reputed national professional societies like AEB, ZSI, CFSI and received Dalela Oration Award; Eminent Scientist Award-2018; IBRF Excellence Award, VRP Sinha Award, CFSI Honour and RGU Research, Extension and Education Excellence Award- 2015. For the outstanding contribution towards development of coldwater fisheries in Himalayan states, Dr. Sarma was awarded “Certificates of Appreciation” from Govt. of Mizoram, Govt. of Sikkim, Govt. of Nagaland, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam Bhoreli Angling and Conservation Association, Jasingfaa Aqua-tourism Centre, Department of Zoology, Gauhati University and Guamco Society, Arunachal Pradesh for the noteworthy contribution in the field of Coldwater Fisheries Resource Management and Conservation. He has standardized the hatchery management technology of golden and chocolate mahseer in India. Dr. Sarma has noteworthy contribution of conceptualizing and establishing various mahseer eco-tourism centers in India and his concept of “Mahseer Watching” is well recognized. Dr. Sarma is the editor/ reviewer of few important International/National research journals. He is also serving as the Visiting/Adjunct Faculty of more than 10 reputed universities in India. He has successfully completed more than 20 research projects, funded by different scientific organizations developing package of practices for the benefit of the multiple stakeholders. During the tenure of 22 years of service, he has guided 1 National Post Doctoral Fellowship, 11 Ph.D. and 12 M.F.Sc./M.Sc. as Major/Co-supervisor. He has also participated and presented papers in several international seminars and training programs in abroad in various capacities. Dr. Sarma is the Founder Secretary and 4th President of Coldwater Fisheries Society of India and served as Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Coldwater Fisheries Society of India.
Dr. Prakash Sharma, ARS is a Scientist at the ICARDirectorate of Coldwater Fisheries Research since 2015. He graduated from the Central Agricultural University, Imphal, India. He received his Master’s degree from ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education (ICAR-CIFE), Mumbai, India, and Doctorate degree from Texas Tech University, Texas, USA. His research interests include histology, nutritional and reproductive physiology of fishes, and lipid and fatty acid profiling. He has published 25 research papers in peer-reviewed international journals. He has also published few book chapters, magazine articles and bulletins related to fisheries resources, fish farming and feeding management. Apart from his involvement in nutrient profiling of coldwater fishes, he is also working on developmental biology of fishes, with a special interest on ontogeny and development of digestive system, gonadogenesis, sex differentiation and onset of puberty. He is also associated with research related to feed formulation and development for mahseer. Currently, he is actively working in feed formation, development and commercialization of different stages of rainbow trout feeds under partnership program of ICAR-DCFR and Growel Feeds Pvt. Ltd., Andhra Pradesh.
Dr. Ciji Alexander, ARS is a Scientist at the ICAR-Directorate of Coldwater Fisheries Research since 2014. She graduated from the Kerala Agricultural University, India. She received her Master’s and Doctorate degrees from ICAR Central Institute of Fisheries Education (ICAR-CIFE), Mumbai, India. She has been awarded with Dr. Karunasagar Best Post-Graduate Thesis (Ph.D. – Indian category) Award for the year 2013. She is the recipient of the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for outstanding doctoral thesis research in Agricultural and Allied Sciences- 2013. Her research interests include fish nutrition, fish stress physiology, stress mitigation through nutraceuticals, fish reproductive biology, and fish nutrient profiling. She has published 50 research papers in peerreviewed international impact journals. She has been involved in the development of captive maturation and multiple breeding technology of endangered golden mahseer, as well as in the commercialization of different stages of rainbow trout feeds in partnership with Growel Feeds Pvt. Ltd., Andhra Pradesh.
Dr. Md. Shahbaz Akhtar, Ph.D., ARS is a Senior Scientist at the ICAR-Directorate of Coldwater Fisheries Research. He graduated (B.F.Sc.) from the Kerala Agricultural University. He obtained his M.F.Sc. and Ph.D. from ICARCentral Institute of Fisheries Education (ICAR-CIFE), Mumbai. He has been awarded with K.C. Naik Gold-Medal by the Professional Fisheries Graduates Forum (PFGF), Mumbai, for being the Best Fisheries Graduate of India in 2006. He is the recipient of the Hiralal Choudhary Gold-Medal and Sir Dorabji Tata Endowment Award by ICAR-CIFE in 2008. He has been conferred with the “Dr. M.S. Swaminathan Award for the Best Indian Fisheries Scientist” in 2014 by PFGF. His research area is fish physiology, fish reproductive endocrinology, thermal eco-physiology, and climate change. Besides, Dr. Akhtar has worked on nutrient profiling of coldwater fishes. He has developed a technology for indoor captive maturation and multiple breeding of endangered golden mahseer, for which patent is pending. Over the short span of research career, he has published 75 research papers in peer-reviewed impact-factor journals and received 2000 citations, 25 h-index, 40 i10-index, and have earned 172 cumulative Thomson Reuters Journal Impact Factor and 600.0 journal NAAS score. Dr. Akhtar may be contacted at mdshahbazakhtar @gmail.com and md.akhtar@icar.gov.in.
Mr. Partha Das is working as a Technical Assistant at ICARDirectorate of Coldwater Fisheries Research, Bhimtal since 2008. He has done his B.Sc. in Industrial Fish & Fisheries from Vidyasagar University, West Bengal. He obtained his M.F.Sc. (Applied Aquaculture) and M.Phil. (Fisheries Science) from Barkatullah University, Bhopal. He has attended several numbers of training in the field of Aquaculture from ICAR-CIFA, ICAR-CIFT, ICAR-CIFE, Integrated Fisheries Project (IFP), Kochi and other organizations. He is working in Fish Biology, Coldwater Aquaculture and Nutrient Profiling of Coldwater Fishes. He is also contributing in captive maturation and breeding of endangered golden mahseer. He is well versed of handling various scientific instruments with updated methods. He has published more than 35 research papers in peer-reviewed journals apart from book chapters and training manual. Mr. Das may be contacted at pdas_aqua@ yahoo.com and partha.das@icar.gov.in.
1. Nutrient Composition of Fishes: Basics, Principles and Functions .................................................................. 1
2. Coldwater Fishes and Their Health Benefits in Human Nutrition ........................................................................29
3. Rainbow Trout: A Power House of Nutrients ...........................43
4. Nutrient Profiling of Mahseer (Tor and Neolissochilus Sp.) and Its Evaluation as a Human Diet ...........................................61
5. Nutritional Significance of Himalayan Snow Trouts in Human Nutrition ...........................................................87
6. Nutrient Composition of Selected Coldwater Fish Species/Small Indigenous Fishes (SIFs) & Their Potential Contribution in Human Dietary Requirements .......131
7. Glossary of Terms in Fish Nutrient Profiling............................169
References .......................................................................................205
