ABSTRACT
I. INTRODUCTION Fish oils are by far the most important sources of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosapentaenoic acid (DHA) and other long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids that are characteristic of marine fats. Fish oil served as an essential illuminant in indoor lamps for centuries in Iceland and Scandinavia, and it was used in Copenhagen to light the streets. The Icelandic word for fish oil Lysi, meaning light, refers to this important role. In the fourteenth century cod liver oil and shark liver oil constituted the second most valuable export from Iceland, and they are frequently mentioned in written laws dating back to the eleventh century as well as in old Icelandic literature (I).
