Evaluation of the effect of dietary sesamin on white muscle lipid composition of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) juveniles

This study was focused on the clarification of the effect of dietary sesamin on fatty acids and the composition of different lipid fractions [phospholipids (PLs), cholesterol and triacylglycerols] in the white muscle of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) juveniles. Two different basic diets with defatted fishmeal as a protein source and either only linseed oil or a mixture of linseed and sunflower oil as a lipid source designed to have two different n‐3/n‐6 ratios (1.21 – CL group; 0.32 – CM group) were produced. Each diet was then used with or without added sesamin (0.58 g 100g^?1). One hundred and forty‐four individuals were fed in triplicated groups for 63 days until their weight had doubled. No influence of dietary sesamin on growth, mortality or on the white muscle lipid content of the fish was found. Added sesamin significantly decreased the content of PLs and increased the cholesterol content in the CM group. No effect was found in the total lipid fatty acid composition but there was found a significantly lower content of saturated fatty acids and 20:5n‐3 in PLs and of 22:6n‐3 in triacylglycerols in the sesamin supplemented CL group. These and other differences show either a tendency of lower long chain n‐3 fatty acids biosynthesis or their higher use in β‐oxidation in sesamin‐supplemented groups. We conclude that sesamin in this experiment had no substantial positive impact on the lipid metabolism of juvenile carp.