New world silversides are fish species with high content of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs). In the Mexican neo-volcanic plateau, the freshwater Pike silverside Chirostoma estor, locally known as "pescado blanco de Pátzcuaro", has significant cultural and gastronomic heritage associated with health by local Indigenous purhépecha communities settled around lake Pátzcuaro which have been consuming this fish regularly for centuries. Thus, we hypothesize that the ancestral association of this species and health is likely the result of functional DHA levels (30.95%, (of total FA) in its meat. However, high temperatures degrade functional fatty acids, such as DHA. Therefore, to further support this hypothesis, three traditional cooking procedures (grilled, steamed, boiled, steamed, fryed vs raw) were used to evaluate the unsaturated fatty acid stability in C. estor’s meat.
The highest LC-PUFA values in pike silverside were found in raw meat; conversely, with steamed and boiled cooking methods, the quality and proportion of these species’ natural fatty acid profile were better preserved. The fried cooking method was the one that most affected the fatty acid profile (Table 1), so it is recommended to use it moderately or avoid this cooking method. The fatty acid profile is of very high quality due to its high proportion of DHA and n-3 fatty acids which further supports the ancestral knowledge of health benefits given to it by original purhépecha communities. Furthermore, this fish species should be considered nutraceutical because it is a rich source of proteins and n-3 fatty acids, which are important for human nutrition and health.