White fish (Atlantic cod)
White fish fillet (halibut – on top) contrasted with an oily fish fillet (salmon – at bottom)

Whitefish or white fish is a fisheries term for several species of demersal fish with fins, particularly Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), whiting (Merluccius bilinearis), haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus), hake (Urophycis), and pollock (Pollachius), among others. Whitefish (Coregonidae) is also the name of several species of Atlantic freshwater fish.

Whitefish live on or near the seafloor, and can be contrasted with the oily or pelagic fish which live away from the seafloor. Whitefish do not have much oil in their tissue, and have flakier white or light-coloured flesh. Most of the oil found in their bodies is concentrated in the organs, e.g. cod liver oil.

Whitefish can be divided into benthopelagic fish (round fish which live near the sea bed, such as cod and coley) and benthic fish (which live on the sea bed, such as flatfish like plaice).

Whitefish is sometimes eaten straight but is often used reconstituted for fishsticks, gefilte fish, lutefisk, surimi (imitation crab meat), etc. Because of their lower oil and fat content, whitefish are particularly suitable for preservation by salting and drying. For centuries it was preserved by drying as stockfish and clipfish and traded as a world commodity.[1] It is commonly used as the fish in the classic British dish of fish and chips.

Growth

The growth amidst whitefish species can be altered due to intraspecific competition. Fish populations such as Vendace and Roach share zooplankton for food which is crucial for young populations of whitefish. As this competition occurs, growth rate can be affected within multiple age groups or at an older age.[2]

Nutritional information

One fillet of whitefish, mixed species (198g) contains the following nutritional information according to the United States Department of Agriculture:[3]

Name Amount Unit
Water 144 g
Energy 265 kcal
Energy 1110 kJ
Protein 37.8 g
Total lipid (fat) 11.6 g
Ash 2.22 g
Carbohydrate, by difference 0 g
Fiber, total dietary 0 g
Sugars, total including NLEA 0 g
Calcium, Ca 51.5 mg
Iron, Fe 0.733 mg
Magnesium, Mg 65.3 mg
Phosphorus, P 535 mg
Potassium, K 628 mg
Sodium, Na 101 mg
Zinc, Zn 1.96 mg
Copper, Cu 0.143 mg
Manganese, Mn 0.133 mg
Selenium, Se 24.9 µg
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid 0 mg
Thiamin 0.277 mg
Riboflavin 0.238 mg
Niacin 5.94 mg
Pantothenic acid 1.48 mg
Vitamin B-6 0.594 mg
Folate, total 29.7 µg
Folic acid 0 µg
Folate, food 29.7 µg
Folate, DFE 29.7 µg
Choline, total 129 mg
Vitamin B-12 1.98 µg
Vitamin B-12, added 0 µg
Vitamin A, RAE 71.3 µg
Retinol 71.3 µg
Carotene, beta 0 µg
Carotene, alpha 0 µg
Cryptoxanthin, beta 0 µg
Vitamin A, IU 238 IU
Lycopene 0 µg
Lutein + zeaxanthin 0 µg
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) 0.396 mg
Vitamin E, added 0 mg
Vitamin D (D2 + D3), International Units 946 IU
Vitamin D (D2 + D3) 23.8 µg
Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) 23.8 µg
Vitamin K (phylloquinone) 0.198 µg
Fatty acids, total saturated 1.79 g
SFA 4:0 0 g
SFA 6:0 0 g
SFA 8:0 0 g
SFA 10:0 0 g
SFA 12:0 0 g
SFA 14:0 0.216 g
SFA 16:0 1.19 g
SFA 18:0 0.392 g
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated 3.96 g
MUFA 16:1 1.03 g
MUFA 18:1 2.67 g
MUFA 20:1 0.206 g
MUFA 22:1 0.05 g
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated 4.26 g
PUFA 18:2 0.539 g
PUFA 18:3 0.362 g
PUFA 18:4 0.099 g
PUFA 20:4 0.442 g
PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) 0.628 g
PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) 0.323 g
PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) 1.86 g
Cholesterol 119 mg
Tryptophan 0.424 g
Threonine 1.66 g
Isoleucine 1.74 g
Leucine 3.07 g
Lysine 3.46 g
Methionine 1.12 g
Cystine 0.406 g
Phenylalanine 1.48 g
Tyrosine 1.28 g
Valine 1.95 g
Arginine 2.26 g
Histidine 1.11 g
Alanine 2.28 g
Aspartic acid 3.88 g
Glutamic acid 5.64 g
Glycine 1.81 g
Proline 1.34 g
Serine 1.54 g
Alcohol, ethyl 0 g
Caffeine 0 mg
Theobromine 0 mg

      See also

      References

      1. Kurlansky, Mark (1997). Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World. New York: Walker. ISBN 0-8027-1326-2.
      2. Raitaniemi, J; Malinen, T; Nyberg, K; Rask, M (1999). "The growth of whitefish in relation to water quality and fish species composition". Journal of Fish Biology. 54 (4): 741–756. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.1999.tb02030.x. ISSN 0022-1112.
      3. "Fish, whitefish, mixed species, raw". fdc.nal.usda.gov. 4 January 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2023.


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