Investigation of the Fatty Acid Contents of Edible Snails Helix lucorum, Eobania vermiculata and Non-Edible Slug Limax flavus

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to reveal the fatty acid composition of phospholipids, neutral and total lipid content of edible land snails Helix lucorum, Eobania vermiculata and non-edible land slug Limax flavus (Gastropoda: Pulmonata). The analyses revealed that the snails and slug are rich in C16:0, C18:0, C18:1ω9 and C18:2ω6 acids. Phospholipid fractions contained very high amounts of C20:4ω6 (15.37% in H. lucorum, 12.37% in E. vermiculata and 8.59% in L. flavus) which is the most important precursor of eicosanoids. The level of ΣPUFA, in edible snails, was found to be higher than ΣSFA and ΣMUFA. However, in the slug, ΣMUFA level was higher than ΣSFA and ΣPUFA levels in neutral and total lipid contents. Ʃω6 / Ʃω3 (Omega 6 / Omega 3) ratio was defined to be very high in the phospholipid of H. lucorum, E. vermiculata and L. flavus; 6.07, 8.29 and 5.39, respectively. Furthermore, the study showed that all three species are valuable sources of omega 6 and essential fatty acids; C18:2ω6 and C18:3ω6.