Efficacy of dietary methyl esters of n−3 HUFA vs. triacylglycerols of n−3 HUFA by gilthead seabream ( Sparus aurata L.) juveniles

• Published in: Aquaculture Vol. 190; no. 3; pp. 273 - 287
• Main Authors: Ibeas, Carlos, Rodrı́guez, Covadonga, Badı́a, Pilar, Cejas, Juana Rosa, Santamarı́a, Francisco Javier, Lorenzo, Antonio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.11.2000; Elsevier Science; Elsevier Sequoia S.A
• Subjects: Animal aquaculture; Animal productions; Aquaculture; Biological and medical sciences; Fatty acids; Fish; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gilthead seabream; Juveniles; Marine; Methyl esters; n−3 HUFA; Pisciculture; Sparus aurata; Triacylglycerols; Vertebrate aquaculture; Methyl esters; Gilthead seabream; Juveniles; n−3 HUFA; Triacylglycerols; n-3 fatty acid; Young animal; Body composition; Feeding; Feed conversion efficiency; Marine environment; Vertebrata; Diet; Sparus aurata; Triacylglycerol; Pisces; Pisciculture; Unsaturated fatty acid; Fatty acid methyl ester; Comparative study; Feed
• ISSN: 0044-8486; 1873-5622
• DOI: 10.1016/S0044-8486(00)00399-9

A feeding experiment was carried out on gilthead seabream juveniles to investigate the utilization of dietary n−3 highly unsaturated fatty acids ( n−3 HUFA), when presented as methyl esters or as triacylglycerols. Three groups of gilthead seabream juveniles, of an initial mean weight of 62 g, were fed diets containing the same level of n−3 HUFA (about 2% dry weight basis, DWB) but where these essential fatty acids (EFA) were supplied in the form of methyl esters, triacylglycerols or as a mixture of these two chemical forms (diets 1, 2 and 3, respectively). A fourth group of 62-g individuals was fed a diet containing a particularly high level of triacylglycerols of n−3 HUFA (about 5% DWB). After 8 weeks of feeding, the results showed that fish growth, hepatosomatic index, total lipid content, and fatty acid composition of neutral and polar lipids of brain, liver, gills and muscle were not affected by the chemical form of the lipids given in the diet. However, individuals fed the very high level of EFA (diet 4) showed a lower growth rate than the other three groups of fish. In addition, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5 n−3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6 n−3) levels in both neutral and polar lipids from liver, gills and muscle were higher in this group of fish, with the brain fatty acid composition being less affected by dietary regime.