Linseed oil inclusion in sea bream diets: effect on muscle quality and shelf life

Dietary lipid source in aquaculture has become a central topic in research whilst natural resources availability diminishes. Hence, to weigh up and forecast consumers impressions, the impact of partial (70%) and complete (100%) dietary replacement of fish oil (FO) by linseed oil (LO) on sensory and quality attributes was studied during the edible shelf life of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata). Physico‐chemical parameters (pH, torrymeter, total volatile basic nitrogen, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and texture), and sensory analysis, both in cooked and raw fish were carried out during 17 days of ice storage. Throughout ice storage, feeding with LO diets, TBARS values remained lower on muscle than those found when feeding FO control diet. On freshly caught fish (day 0 of ice storage), statistically significant dietary texture variations were recorded on cooked fillet fed FO diet. No sensory differences on Quality Index Method, sensory profile or Torry scheme were found with partial or total LO replacement diets.     

Fillet Quality and Processing Attributes of Postsmolt Atlantic Salmon,Salmo salar,Fed a Fishmeal‐free Diet and a Fishmeal‐based Diet in Recirculation Aquaculture Systems

Many studies have evaluated the adequacy of alternate ingredient diets for Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, mainly with focus on fish performance and health; however, comprehensive analysis of fillet quality is lacking, particularly for salmon fed these diets in recirculation aquaculture systems (RAS). To this end, a study was conducted comparing fillet quality and processing attributes of postsmolt Atlantic salmon fed a fishmeal‐free diet (FMF) versus a standard fishmeal‐based diet, in replicate RAS. Mean weight of Atlantic salmon fed both diets was 1.72 kg following the 6‐mo trial and survival was >99%. Diet did not affect (P > 0.05) processing and fillet yields, whole‐body proximate composition(fat, moisture, protein), fillet proximate composition, cook yield, fillet texture, color, or omega‐3 fatty acid fillet content, including eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid levels. Whole‐body ash content was greater in salmon fed the FMF diet. The FMF diet resulted in a wild fish‐in to farmed fish‐out ratio of 0:1 per Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch criteria due to its fishmeal‐free status and use of lipids from fishery byproduct. Overall, fillet quality and processing attributes were generally unaffected when feeding a diet devoid of fishmeal to postsmolt Atlantic salmon cultured in RAS. [Correction added on 7 September 2017, after first online publication: the P value in Abstract has been changed from “P < 0.05” to “P > 0.05”.].     

Growth,nitrogen gain and indispensable amino acid retention of pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus,Holmberg 1887) fed different brewers yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) levels

A feeding‐and‐digestibility trials were carried out to evaluate the efficacy of replacing fishmeal with brewers yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae in diets of pacu, Piaractus mesopotamicus, juveniles. The feeding trial was conducted during 54 days with 450 fish (26.6 ± 1.7 g) testing six isonitrogenous (270 g kg^?1 crude protein) and isoenergetic (19 MJ kg^?1 crude energy) diets, with increasing yeast level to replace 0 (control), 30, 35, 50, 70 or 100% of dietary fishmeal. Growth performance and feed utilization increased with increasing dietary yeast level until 50% fishmeal replacement. Protein retention efficiency was higher in fish fed 35 and 50%. Protein digestibility and the fillet hue (the red/green chromaticity) were not significantly different among all treatments. Nitrogen gains were significantly improved in fish fed 35% replacement diet compared to fish fed the control diet. The retentions of indispensable amino acids tended to increase with increasing dietary yeast levels, with maximum retention at 35–50%. On the basis of our results, replacing 50% fishmeal by yeast in pacu diets successfully improved feed efficiency and growth performance, and reduced nitrogen losses, thereby reducing the nitrogen outputs from fish farms.     

Preslaughter stress and subsequent effect on flesh quality in farmed cod

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of prehandling stress on the flesh quality of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). In order to stress the animal, water was reduced in the tank before a total of 30 fish were caught five at a time using a dipnet and held for 3 min, causing stress by hypoxia. This fish was compared with a control group (n=30) of fish exposed to anaesthetics directly in the tank. All fish were killed by a percussive blow to the head and exsanguinated and stored on ice before flesh quality was measured. Immediately after death and after ice storage for 3 and 8 days, 10 fish per group were measured for muscle pH, texture, fillet gaping, colour, drip loss and cathepsin D. Handling stress resulted in an initial increased fillet lightness, drip loss and decreased fillet shear force, although these differences did level off during ice storage. Stress caused by handling resulted in earlier onset of rigour mortis as compared with the control group, which reached maximum rigour tensions within 26 and 36 h postmortem respectively. We conclude that handling before harvest results in reduced time before entering rigour. After 8 days of ice storage, no effect of handling stress was seen on the muscle pH, flesh colour, fillet shear force, gaping score, drip loss or cathepsin D activity.     

Deposition of conjugated linoleic acid in market size sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and its effects on performance,composition and fillet sensory and texture attributes

The effect conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) accumulation in fish fillet on sensory and texture attributes has been evaluated. Fish were fed diets with graded levels of CLA, which were administered for different durations prior to harvest. Fish were sampled for fillet proximate composition and fatty acid profile for sensory and texture parameters at the end of the trial. Growth performance, feed conversion ratio and muscle proximate composition were not affected by dietary treatments. Muscle fatty acid profile was not affected by dietary treatments despite the increase in saturated fatty acids in fish fed diet with 10 g kg⁻¹ of CLA for 16 weeks before harvest. Besides, the deposition levels of CLA isomers increased gradually depending on the CLA treatment, reaching its maximum level in fish fed 10 g kg⁻¹ CLA diet for 20 weeks before harvest. Fish fed 10 g kg⁻¹ were juicier (P < 0.05) compared with control group, whereas fish fed 5 g kg⁻¹ CLA diet were less (P < 0.05) chewy than fish fed control diet regarding sensory attributes. Texture parameters were not significantly affected by dietary CLA. These results suggest that market size European sea bass could successfully incorporate CLA isomers with some minor positive effects on sensory analyses.     

Effects of Dietary Mineral Supplementation on Quality of Fresh and Salt‐Cured Fillets from Farmed Atlantic Cod,Gadus morhua

The aims of this study were to investigate effects of dietary mineral supplementation on chemical and sensory quality parameters of fresh farmed cod fillets and on the quality of salt‐cured farmed cod. Farmed cod were fed three experimental diets with different levels of mineral supplements (no supplementation, supplementation without zinc and copper, full supplementation) for approximately 2 yr. After slaughter, one‐third of the experimental fish were subjected to chemical and physical analysis, another third were used for sensory analysis and the remaining fish were salt cured. Potassium, copper, and muscle protein were higher in muscle tissue of cod fed full supplementation than cod fed without supplementation. Instrumental color analysis showed that the cut side of fresh fillets of cod fed full supplementation were slightly more green and yellow than fillets of cod fed without extra supplements. A sensory panel could, however, not detect any differences between heated fresh cod given feed with or without mineral supplements. However, the quality of salt ripened cod which had received a complete mineral supplement in the diet was reduced because of increased yellowness, probably caused by the increased level of copper in the muscle.     

Feeding Atlantic salmon diets with plant ingredients during the seawater phase – a full‐scale net production of marine protein with focus on biological performance,welfare, product quality and safety

By feeding Atlantic salmon diets with 64% of the fish oil (FO) replaced by vegetable oil, and with decreasing fishmeal (FM) inclusion levels from 213, 178 and 143 g kg⁻¹ (accumulated level during the seawater phase) in a full‐scale experiment producing 3.1 thousand tonnes fish, no significant negative effects on fish performance, health and product quality were observed. All dietary groups showed, however, moderate intestinal inflammation. Reduced growth and feed efficiency were seen with decreasing fishmeal inclusion levels. Two dietary groups demonstrated net marine protein production, while none of the groups showed net fish production (FIFO ≥1.65) due to the equal low FO inclusion. High plant oil level gave lower fillet level of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) compared with the levels surveyed on the Norwegian market. The study gave predictable incorporation rates of essential n‐3 long‐chain fatty acids in the fillet. Cooked salmon fillet from all dietary groups showed minor differences in sensory quality. Based on the present full‐scale production results, dietary FM inclusion down to 160 g kg⁻¹ (accumulated) during the seawater phase, concurrent to replacing ~70% of the FO with a suitable plant oil, is not regarded to represent any risk to fish performance, health or quality.     

Quality of wild-captured saithe (Pollachius virens L.) fed formulated diets for 8 months

Fish farms may attract wild fish that feed on waste feed from the cages. Saithe, Pollachius virens L., are particularly numerous around salmon cages in northern Europe and may obtain a significant proportion of their diet from waste feed. It has been claimed that these fish are of inferior quality to saithe that feed on natural diets; differences are said to include soft muscle tissue and a different taste. In order to document such changes in quality we performed a feeding experiment. Young wild saithe were collected and fed either a lipid-rich salmon diet or a lean cod diet for 8 months. All fish were individually tagged and growth was monitored throughout the experiment. Parameters related to flesh quality were measured. Diet clearly influenced the growth rate of the fish, and many fish reached a very high hepatosomatic index when fed on a salmon diet. However, many fish had a low feed intake and thus a low rate of growth. There were some differences in skin and muscle colour, pH and in sensory parameters between wild-caught and artificially fed saithe at the end of the experiment. Those fed the cod diet were more similar to wild saithe than those fed the salmon diet.     

Manipulation of end-product quality of rainbow trout with finishing diets

The effect of dietary lipid level upon various quality parameters of smoked rainbow trout were examined. Fish were fed four experimental diets differing in lipid content (18.8–31.4%). Groups received either a lipid-rich diet throughout the trial (101 days), a lipid-rich feed for 46 days followed by a lower fat diet for 55 days and vice versa, or a low fat diet throughout. A fifth group (controls), consisting of commercially reared animals, was employed for comparative purposes. The visceral fraction of experimental fish increased with increasing lipid ingestion, whereas final process yield decreased. Chemical analyses following salting and hot-smoking revealed that fillet lipid and ash was higher ( P  < 0.05) and moisture lower ( P  < 0.05) for fish fed the high-lipid diet throughout and during the last 55 days of trial. No differences were recorded with respect to sensory attributes between treatment groups, although differences were observed between tank-reared and control fish. In experimental animals, fillet protein content was negatively correlated with juiciness and fibreness, while dry matter was correlated with juiciness, fresh oily taste and rose flesh colour. The present study indicates that high lipid feeds can be employed without negatively influencing sensory characteristics or yield provided that lean finishing diets are fed prior to slaughter. Fasting of fish for 61 days improved slaughter yields without affecting relative yields among dietary groups.     

Temporal changes in texture, gaping, composition and copper status of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar, L) fed moist feed or extruded dry feed

Temporal development in product quality and copper status was investigated in Atlantic salmon (initial weight 2.3 kg) fed alginate-based moist feed (MF) or commercial extruded dry feed (DF). The fieldwork was conducted from January to May in sea-cages (800 m³) off the Norwegian west coast. The dry matter content (DM) in the muscle of the MF group was stable at about 32% throughout the experiment, while the DM of DF group increased linearly from 32% to 35%. Salmon were sampled for analyses of Cu status, fillet gaping, texture and pH in March and April. The serum Cu content of the MF group was highest in March, but no significant effect of dietary treatment was observed on Cu status of muscle or liver. The Cu level in serum and muscle decreased from March to April in both fish groups, but the hepatic Cu level showed no temporal changes. Gaping incidence and pH were higher in the MF group in April compared with the DF group and, for both fish groups, fillet gaping was higher and hardness was lower in April than in March. Variation in serum Cu level explained 32% of the variation in fillet hardness, and serum and muscle Cu level related negatively with gaping. At the end of the experiment the condition factor, and fillet and visceral fat contents were higher in the DF group, while sensory evaluated hardness and tastiness were similar for both dietary treatments. In conclusion, sampling time had a greater impact on Cu status, texture and gaping than dietary treatment during springtime in adult Atlantic salmon. Dietary treatment significantly affected body shape, and fat and dry matter contents.     

Dietary decontaminated fish oil has no negative impact on fish performance,flesh quality or production‐related diseases in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

Fish oil is the main contributor of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in fish feed. A combination of active carbon filtration and steam deodourization can remove most of the POPs. However, other fat soluble compounds are also removed, thus possibly affecting the nutritional quality of decontaminated fish oils. Sea water–adapted Atlantic salmon were fed 18 months a commercially relevant diet based on either decontaminated or non‐treated fish oil until market size. The development of production‐related diseases (fin/skin erosion, bone deformity, cataract) and fillet quality parameters (gutted weight, fillet fat soluble vitamin levels and fatty acid composition, colour, gaping, texture and sensory quality) were assessed. No significant differences in growth performances, feed conversion ratio or quality parameters between the two dietary groups were found. The fillet levels of fat soluble vitamins in market size fish remained unaltered, and only marginal differences were observed in fatty acid profiles. There was a significantly lower percentage of deformed vertebrae in the tail region of fish fed the decontaminated fish oil diets, indicating a positive effect of the use of decontaminated fish oil. No apparent negative effects of the use of decontaminated fish oil in Atlantic salmon diets were reported in this study.     

Electrical stunning of farmed Atlantic cod Gadus morhua L.: a comparison of an industrial and experimental method

An industrial and experimental electrical method for stunning farmed Atlantic cod in air and seawater (SW), respectively, were compared. The impacts of sedation with AQUI‐S^? and exercise to exhaustion before electrical stunning were also assessed to monitor the possible depletion of rested muscle energy levels by electrical stunning. Stress (blood glucose, haematocrit, muscle pH, muscle excitability, high‐energy phosphates and rigor mortis) and flesh quality (fillet texture, colour, liquid leakage (LL), gaping, residual blood and K‐value) were assessed. For the industrial stunning method, an average of 41 V, 0.2 A dc was applied to individual cod for 18–27 s. For the SW method, a bipolar square wave current (170 Hz, 33% duty cycle) was applied for 5 s. After stunning, recovery was prevented by exsanguination in chilled SW. There were no differences (P>0.05) between the two stunning methods except for a higher ultimate fillet pH for cod stunned in air 8 days postmortem. Exercise before stunning depleted muscle energy levels at slaughter, increased LL and fillets had redder and darker flesh after storage on ice for 8 days. Electrical stunning (in air) of AQUI‐S^?‐treated fish partly depleted muscle energy levels (pH 7.3, ATP 18.7 μmol g^?1, PCr 70.1 μmol g^?1). However, flesh quality was not affected. Unless pre‐rigor filleting is the chosen processing strategy, electrical stunning of cod seems to be a promising stunning method.     

The effect of dietary vitamin E and C level on market-size turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) fillet quality

Fish fillet quality has been shown to be influenced by the level of antioxidants in preslaughter diet. Thus, an experiment was conducted to study the effect of different levels of vitamin E and C on the fillet quality of market‐size reared turbot (Scophthalmus maximus). Turbot of a mean initial weight of 347 ± 20 g were divided into four groups and fed commercial turbot diets (60% protein, 12% fat), supplemented with α‐tocopheryl acetate (mg kg^?1) and ascorbyl‐2 monophosphate (mg kg^?1) at the following dietary levels: 500/100, 1000/100, 100/1000, 100/100 respectively. Over a dietary supplementation period of 15 weeks, fish were fed to satiation and reached a final mean weight of 916 ± 29 g. α‐Tocopherol levels increased significantly (P < 0.001) in tissue (i.e. muscle, liver, heart and kidney) of fish fed diets containing elevated levels of α‐tocopheryl acetate. In ice storage, fillets of these fish exhibited significantly lower (P < 0.001) levels of lipid oxidation, and showed significantly less (P < 0.001) colour deterioration (higher hue angle and lower chroma). Elevated dietary α‐tocopheryl acetate levels had a negative effect (P ≤ 0.001) on the concentration of ascorbic acid in muscle tissue. An increase in dietary vitamin C did not have any detectable effect on fillet quality. Prolonged feeding times had a negative effect on lipid oxidation (P < 0.001) and colour deterioration (P < 0.01). These results suggest that increased dietary α‐tocopheryl acetate could prevent colour deterioration and lipid oxidation of turbot fillets in retail storage on ice.     

Performance of intensively farmed Murray cod Maccullochella peelii peelii (Mitchell) fed newly formulated vs. currently used commercial diets, and a comparison of fillet composition of farmed and wild fish

Murray cod is a top‐order carnivore with high culture potential. Currently, there are no commercial diets formulated specifically for Murray cod. In this study, results of two growth trials on Murray cod (80–83.5‐g mean initial weight), conducted in commercial settings, using two laboratory‐formulated diets (DU1 and DU2; 48.9% and 49.1% protein, and 16.9% and 16.1% lipid, respectively, on a dry matter basis), and two commercial diets, formulated for other species (salmon – CD/S and barramundi – CD/B) but used in Murray cod farming are presented. The two commercial diets had less protein (46.6% and 44.4%) but higher lipid (21.7% and 19.5%). The energy content of the feeds tested was similar (about 20–22 kJ g^?1). The growth performance and feed utilization of Murray cod did not differ significantly amongst the diets, but the food conversion ratio and % protein efficiency ratio in fish fed the DU1 and DU2 diets were consistently better. There was significantly less carcass and muscle lipid deposition in fish fed with the latter diets. Of the fatty acids in muscle, the lowest amounts (in μg mg lipid^?1) of n‐3 (262.5±2.9), n‐6 (39.8±0.9) and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) (302.3±3.8) were observed in fish fed CD/S, and the highest in fish fed DU2 and CD/B. Fatty acids 16:0 and 18:0, 18:1n‐9 and 16:1n‐7, and 22:6n‐3, 20:5n‐3, 22:5n‐3 and 18:2n‐6 were the dominant fatty acids amongst the saturates, monoenes and PUFA, respectively, and accounted for 80.8–88.7% of all identified fatty acids (23) in muscle of Murray cod. The study showed that Murray cod could be cultured successfully on a diet (DU2) containing 20% soybean meal without compromising growth and/or carcass quality. Differences in the proximate composition and fatty acid composition of muscle of wild and farmed Murray cod were observed, the most obvious being in the latter. Wild Murray cod had significantly less (P<0.05) saturates (192.6±1.84 vs. 266.3±3.51), monoenes (156.5±8.7 vs. 207.6±6.19), n‐3 (145.2±5.24 vs. 261.8±3.2) but higher n‐6 (144.3±2.73 vs. 48.3±1.38) in muscle (all values are in μg mg lipid^?1) than in farmed fish. Wild fish also had a much lower n‐3 to n‐6 ratio (1.0±0.03 vs. 5.4±0.09).     

Partial replacement of fish oil by flaxseed oil in Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus L.) diets: effects on growth,nutritional and sensory quality

Three isonitrogenous (520 g protein kg^?1 DM) and isoenergetic (25 MJ kg^?1 DM) diets containing increasing levels of flaxseed oil (FxO; 0%, 40% and 70% of total added oil) at the expense of fish oil (FO) were tested for 33 weeks in groups of 61 individually PIT‐tagged halibut (initial weight, 849 ± 99 g). Effects on fish growth performance, fillet nutritional and sensory quality were determined. Specific growth rate (0.2% day^?1), feed conversion ratio (1.2–1.3) and nitrogen and energy retention were not affected by dietary treatments. Dietary fatty acid composition was reflected in fatty acid profiles of halibut muscle, liver and heart. Muscle of fish fed FxO diets contained higher 18:2n‐6 and 18:3n‐3 concentrations whereas 20:5n‐3 and 22:6n‐3 levels were significantly reduced. However, increasing FO replacement induced preferential retention of 22:6n‐3 especially in heart, and a trend for 20:5n‐3 conservation in heart and muscle was observed. FO replacement did not affect colour, texture and the characteristic fish odour and flavour of cooked fillets. By selectively retaining long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acids halibut can adapt to a lower dietary supply without adverse effects on growth, feed conversion ratio, survival, and fillet nutritional and sensory quality.     

Effect of sustained exercise on white muscle structure and flesh quality in farmed cod (Gadus morhua L.)

Growth performance and white muscle cellularity were investigated in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.) (500–600 g) to determine if texture and thereby quality is affected by exercise. Three exercise regimes [low flow, 0.5 body lengths per second (BL s^?1) and 1.0 BLs^?1] were applied, and the experiment was run for 9 months, at which point the fish had reached around 2 kg body weight. There were no significant differences in fork length or condition factors between groups that could be attributed to the exercise treatment, but the 0.5 BL s^?1 group had significantly lower body weight performance than the control group. The average specific growth rate ranged from 0.37% to 0.42% per day. Muscle fibre diameter was positively correlated with fish weight. However, there was no difference in the distribution of muscle fibre diameters between treatment groups. A texture analyser, model TA‐XT2, equipped with a Warner–Bratzler shear blade was used to measure the texture of the fillet. No correlation was found between the shear force required to cut through the sample and the muscle fibre diameter, but the shear force decreased with increasing growth rate. A tristimulus colorimeter was used to measure the colour composition of the fillet instrumentally. Red/green chromaticity (a*) was positively correlated with the shear force. It was concluded that the exercise regimes tested were insufficient to influence either growth performance or muscle growth patterns. Individual variations in fibre diameter did not influence the colour or texture of the fillet.     

Fishmeal replacement by mixed plant proteins and effect on growth and sensory attributes in on‐growing turbot

Fishmeal replacement with a mixture of plant protein (PP) raw materials (soya, wheat gluten meal, corn gluten meal and rapeseed meal) in diets for 300‐950 g turbot was tested. Eight different diets with fishmeal protein stepwise varying from 53.7% of crude protein (CP) to 93% of CP of the total protein in the diet were tested. The fish was weighed at monthly intervals for following of weight development and calculation of specific growth rates, daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio. At the end of the experiment, fish was sampled for sensory evaluation. Average final weight was 950 g and did not vary between the experimental groups. There were no effects of dietary treatment on specific growth rates, daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio or sensory attributes measured. The least‐cost diet (with 53.7% fishmeal protein) is about 12% lower in raw material cost (based on material price of diet components) than the all fishmeal diet. The results therefore indicate that the raw material cost in feed for on‐growing turbot can be reduced considerably without any negative effect on growth and feed utilization.     

Total replacement of fish oil by soybean or linseed oil with a return to fish oil in Turbot (Psetta maxima): 2. Flesh quality properties

The aim of this study was to evaluate (1) the effects of replacement of fish oil by vegetable oils on flesh quality and (2) the effects of a washout with a return to fish oil on flesh quality of turbot. In a first period of 3 months, three isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets containing 9% of added marine fish oil (FO), soybean oil (SO) or linseed oil (LO) were fed to triplicate groups of 25 marketable size turbot (initial body weight: 579±1 g) grown in sea water at the temperature of 17 °C. At the end of the first period, all groups of turbot were fed with the diet containing fish oil (diet FO) for a further period of 2 months. The gutted and fillet yields were not affected by the incorporation of vegetable oils. However, soybean or linseed oils significantly affected the organoleptic quality of flesh particularly odour, colour and texture. A more pronounced potatoes odour and a lower fat texture were observed in dorsal fillet of turbot fed soybean oil diet. During the washout period, the differences observed between treatments in first period on sensory attributes disappeared. This study showed that the changes in organoleptic properties occurring due to the intake of vegetable oils can be reduced with a return to a fish-oil-based diet.     

The effects of partial replacement of fishmeal protein by hydrolysed feather meal protein in the diet with high inclusion of plant protein on growth performance,fillet quality and physiological parameters of Pengze crucian carp (Carassius auratus var. Pengze)

Goal of this research is to explore the effects of graded dietary levels of hydrolysed feather meal (HFM) protein as an alternative of fishmeal protein on Pengze crucian carp (Carassius auratus var. Pengze). Five isonitrogenous (35% crude protein) diets were formulated as Control diet and four other diets F15, F30, F45 and F60 wherein 15%, 30%, 45% and 60% fishmeal protein replaced by HFM protein fed for 70 days. The results showed that fish growth was unaffected up to 45% fishmeal protein replacement. Dietary HFM protein could reduce the crude protein composition of body and further affect fillet quality through a significant increase in springiness, gumminess, chewiness and/or resilience. Activity of digestive enzymes (amylase, lipase and tryptase) increased as the fishmeal protein replacement increased, whereas a higher replacement level had negative impacts on absorptive capacity of intestine by decreasing its absorptive area, following by a reduction in concentration of lactate dehydrogenase, total cholesterol, high‐density lipoprotein, low‐density lipoprotein and ammonia in serum. Although intestinal antioxidant parameters were elevated by dietary HFM protein , the content of malondialdehyde in intestine was also positively associated with the protein replacement level. Overall, our results indicate that up to 45% of fishmeal protein could be replaced by HFM protein in diet without significant impact on the growth of Pengze crucian carp, whereas the crude protein content of whole body, fillet quality and oxidative status would significantly be affected when the replacement level of fishmeal protein reaches 30% together with a negative effect on the intestinal histology.     

Growth performance, feed efficiency and fatty acid composition of juvenile Murray cod, Maccullochella peelii peelii, fed graded levels of canola and linseed oil

In two independent experiments, the effects of dietary inclusion of canola and linseed oil were evaluated in juvenile Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii peelii, Mitchell) over a 112‐day period. In each experiment, fish received one of five semi‐purified diets in which the dietary fish oil was replaced with canola oil (Experiment A) or linseed oil (Experiment B) in graded increments of 25% (0–100%). Murray cod receiving the graded canola and linseed oil diets ranged in final weight from 112.7 ± 7.6 to 73.8 ± 9.9 g and 93.9 ± 3.6 to 74.6 ± 2.2 g, respectively, and exhibited a negative trend in growth as the inclusion level increased. The fatty acid composition of the fillet and liver were modified extensively to reflect the fatty acid composition of the respective diets. Levels of oleic acid (18:1 n‐9) and linoleic acid (18:2 n‐6) increased with each level of canola oil inclusion while levels of α‐linolenic acid (18:3 n‐3) increased with each level of linseed oil inclusion. The concentration of n‐3 highly unsaturated fatty acids in the fillet and liver decreased as the amount of vegetable oil in the diets increased. It is shown that the replacement of fish oil with vegetable oils in low fish meal diets for Murray cod is possible to a limited extent. Moreover, this study reaffirms the suggestion for the need to conduct ingredient substitution studies for longer periods and where possible to base the conclusions on regression analysis in addition to anova .