Quality of Lipids During Frozen Storage of Polychaete (<i>Alitta virens</i>) - a Low Trophic Marine Resource Relevant for Aquaculture Feed

Lipid quality during frozen storage of the low trophic marine resource polychaete (<i>Alitta virens</i>) was evaluated after blanching, vacuum packing, and different storage temperatures (−23°C vs −27°C). In non-blanched samples, free fatty acid (FAA) reached a level of 15–20% after 12-months of frozen storage. ¹H and³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analyses showed that the increase in FFA could be attributed to both hydrolysis of phospholipids and triacylglycerols. Vacuum packing prevented lipid oxidation. Blanching hindered lipid hydrolysis and is thereby recommended to preserve valuable phospholipids during long-term frozen storage of polychaete, a resource that has attracted growing interest for use in aquaculture.