Extraction, Physico-Chemical Characterization and Antimicrobial Screening of the Muscle Lipid of Cuttle Fish (Sepia esculenta) of the Bay of Bengal

Lipid was extracted from the muscle of Cuttle fish by solvent extraction method and then purified by suitable conventional method. Various physical constants e.g. refractive index, viscosity, specific gravity, crude fat, crude fibre and ash contents and chemical parameters e.g. saponification value, saponification equivalent value, acid value, iodine value, acetyl value, peroxide value, thiocyanogen value, Reichert-Meissl value, Polenske value, Henher value, cholesterol content etc. of the lipid sample have been determined and compared with those of different standard oils. Fatty acids composition of the sample was investigated by Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) method. The muscle lipid of Cuttle fish was found to contain palmitic acid, stearic acid, linolenic acid and erucic acid respectively with some other unknown fatty acids. Antimicrobial activities of the lipid were tested by standard method and found moderate to potential antibiotic and antifungal property in this lipid. The lipid containing muscle of Cuttle fish was analyzed quantitatively for the determination of percentages of protein and minerals (N, P, K, Ca) contents by modified Kjeldahl method.