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Proximate composition, fatty acid analysis and protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) in three commercially important cephalopods of the Mediterranean sea (cuttlefish, octopus and squid) were determined. The results of the proximate analysis showed that these species had very high protein:fat ratios similar to lean beef. Docosahexaenoic, palmitic and eicosipentaenoic acid were the most abundant fatty acids among analyzed species. The amount of n-3 fatty acids was higher than that of saturated, monounsaturated and n-6 fatty acids. Despite the fact that cephalopods contain small amounts of fat they were found quite rich in n-3 fatty acids. Finally, PDCAAS indicated that these organisms had a very good protein quality.

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a naturally occurring anticarcinogen found in dairy products, is an intermediary product of ruminal biohydrogenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Few data exist on the CLA content of the human blood plasma. The determination of a "normal" content could help in estimating if a person consumes satisfactory amounts of CLA with the diet and thus takes advantage of its potential beneficial effects on health. The purpose of this study was to compare the plasma CLA content of individuals not consuming dairy products (group 1, n = 12), individuals consuming normal amounts of dairy products (group 2, n = 77) and individuals consuming CLA supplement (group 3, n = 12). The only CLA isomer that presented higher percentage than the detection limit (0.03% of total fatty acids) was rumenic acid (cis9, trans11-octadecadienoic acid). An interesting finding is that compared to the other two groups, group 3 members show the highest average plasma content in rumenic acid, i.e. 0.20% of total fatty acids. The present study could be characterized as the first step in the direction of establishing a normal CLA content of human plasma. Based on these results, it could be suggested that the lower limit of the plasma CLA content is approximately 0.1% of total fatty acids.

a t a n o s a n d A . N . S u g r e d o s *According to latest findings, the essentiality of w3-fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid ( D H A ) as micro nutrients as well as'their positive effect w.r.t. prevention and therapy of cardiovascular diseases can be considered as established facts. Since an adequate intake of €PA and D H A by humans via nutritional route is primarily limited to fish consumption. the current work was carried out to investigate the fatty acid composition of the most popular fishes from Greece and work out relevant nutritional recommendations. Among the sixteen types of fishes investigated, oil fractions isolated from Engraulis encrasicolus. Sardina pilchardur and Spicara vulguris contained relatively high levels of EPA and D H A viz more than 30 %. However, the fish with the highest amount of total-cu3-fatty acids of 1.9 g per 100 g fresh fish was Scomber scombrus. Sardina pilchurdus and Triglia lucerna contained also more than 1 g total-w3-fatty acids per 100 g fresh fish. The data obtained with the last three fishes are of importance from nutritional point of view, since they represent popular market fishes of Greece and eastern mediterranean countries.

CLA content significantly increased during the ripening stages and decreased during aging (P ≤ 0.05). CLA is not stable during manufacture and storage of feta cheese, a fact which should be resolved, since this biologically active substance can be obtained from the diet.