Essentiality of dietary n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids in juvenile Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus


K.D. Kim, S.M. Lee, H.G. Park, S.C.C. Bai, Y.H. Lee-2002

Journal of the World Aquaculture Society, 33(4): 432-440  (from ISI Current Contents)

Abstract:
This study was conducted to confirm the essentiality of dietary n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (n-3 HUFA) and to investigate the effects of dietary lipid sources on growth performance, liver, and blood chemistry in juvenile Japanese flounder. Three replicate groups of fish (average weighing 3.0 g) were fed experimental diets containing lauric acid ethyl ester, soybean oil, soybean and linseed oils mixture, and squid liver oil as lipid sources for 13 wk. No significant difference was observed in survival among all groups (P > 0.05). Weight gain, feed efficiency and protein efficiency ratio of fish fed the squid liver oil diet containing high n-3 HUFA level were significantly higher than those of fish fed the other diets (P < 0.05). Saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids of liver polar and neutral lipid fractions in fish fed the diet containing lauric acid tended to increase compared to those of the other groups. Fish fed the diets containing soybean and/or linseed oils, which contained high contents of 18:2n-6 and 18:3n-3, respectively, showed the highest contents of 18:2n-6 and 18:3n-3 in both lipid fractions of the liver (P < 0.05). Significantly higher content of n-3 HUFA was observed in both lipid fractions of the liver from fish fed the diet containing squid liver oil than for fish fed the other diets (P < 0.05). Total cholesterol, glucose, and glutamic-oxaloacetic acid transaminase in plasma were significantly affected by dietary lipids (P < 0.05). Histologically, the liver of fish fed the diet containing squid liver oil had a clear distinction between nuclear and cytoplasm membranes; however, cytoplasm of fish fed the diets containing lauric acid and soybean oil was shrunken, and the hepatic cell outline was indistinguishable. It is concluded that the dietary n-3 HUFA is essential for normal growth, and that the dietary lipid sources affect growth performance, liver cell property, and blood chemistry in juvenile Japanese flounder.

(Kangnung Natl. Univ. Fac. Marine Biosci. & Technol., Gangneung 210702, South Korea)


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