AQUAMAX cod

ABSTRACT: For aquaculture of carnivorous marine species to continue to expand, dietary fish oil must be replaced with more sustainable vegetable oil alternatives. Most vegetable oils are rich in n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), specifically 18:2n-6, and their inclusion in feeds reduces the n-3/n-6 PUFA ratio of the fish flesh potentially compromising its nutritional quality. Few vegetable oils are rich in n-3 PUFA but one of these, Camelina oil (CO) is unique in that, in addition to high 18:3n-3 and a high n-3/n-6 PUFA ratio, it also contains substantial levels of C20 and C22 monoenes, similar to fish oil. Cod (initial weight ~0.8 Kg) were fed for 10 weeks with diets in which fish oil was replaced with graded amounts (0 M-bM-^@M-^S 100%) of CO. Growth performance, feed efficiency and fish biometric indices (HSI and VSI) was not significantly affected by increasing dietary CO. Lipid levels of liver tended to increase and those of flesh, decrease, with increasing dietary CO although the data were largely not statistically significant. Reflecting the diet, tissue n-3 long-chain PUFA (LC-PUFA) levels significantly decreased whereas levels of 18:3n-3 and 18:2n-6 increased with increasing inclusion of dietary CO. Dietary replacement of FO by Camelina oil did not appear to induce major metabolic changes in cod intestinal tissue, but rather potentially affected rates of cellular proliferation and death as well as induce changes in the structural properties of the intestinal muscle, most likely leading to different rates of tissue regeneration and/or repair, as well as changes in contractile activity or mechanical characteristics. Our results do not allow us to conclude on the underlying biological reasons explaining these molecular effects but given the important role of the intestine in overall nutrient absorption, further attention should be given to this organ in the future when examining effects of fish oil replacement by vegetable oils.

ORGANISM(S): Gadus morhua

SUBMITTER: Rolf Brudvik Edvardsen 

PROVIDER: E-TABM-1178 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress