Cultured Eels Lack Essential Fatty Acids, Raising Health Concerns for Consumers
The researchers compared the fat content in wild and farmed eel, as well as conger eel. Farmed eel had more fat than wild eel, and much more fat than conger eel. The fat in the edible part of eel was much higher than in the organs, except for conger eel. Farmed eel had more unsaturated fats in the edible part compared to wild eel, while conger eel had even more. Wild eel had more essential fatty acids than farmed eel. Wild eel also had more omega-3 fats than farmed eel and conger eel. The type of fat in the eel's diet affected the fat composition in the eel's body.
