Research Highlights: Lipid Technology 4/2009

✍ Scribed by Frank D. Gunstone

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 2009
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 212 KB
• Volume: 21
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0956-666X
• DOI: 10.1002/lite.200900019

✦ Synopsis

Omega-3 oil sources for use in aquaculturealternatives to the unsustainable harvest of wild fish

The use of meal and oil from wild fish in aquafeed is unsustainable and alternatives must be found bearing in mind the requirement for appropriate omega-3 fatty acids in the aquafeed and the increasing demand for long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) in human diets. This review examines four potential sources of feed containing omega-3 acids, especially eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid or their metabolic precursors, particularly in respect of the production of the oil-rich Atlantic salmon. These are (i) other marine sources than those already used such as processing waste, krill oil, copepods; (ii) vegetable oils containing appropriate precursors especially stearidonic acid (18:4); (iii) single cell sources of biomass containing LC-PUFA such as thraustochytrids; and (iv) vegetable oils from plants that have been genetically modified to produce omega-3 LC-PUFA with the problem of social acceptance in many countries.