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.

A study was undertaken with marketable size turbot to evaluate the effects of dietary fat levels on chemical composition, lipogenesis and flesh quality. Four experimental diets containing graded levels of fish oil in order to obtain 10%, 15%, 20% and 25% of crude fat were fed to triplicate groups of turbot (initial body weight of 660 g) for 12 weeks in full strength seawater at temperature of 17°C. Nutrient digestibility was not influenced by dietary fat levels. The best growth performance was observed in fish fed 10% and 15% dietary fat. High dietary lipid levels led to higher fat deposition in whole fish, although lipid level in muscle remained low (1.1% in dorsal muscle and 1.7% in ventral muscle irrespective of diet). Significant subcutaneous fat accumulation was detected in turbot. No protein sparing effect by lipid was observed in turbot fed high dietary fat. Hepatic lipogenic enzymes (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, G6PD; malic enzyme, ME and acetyl CoA carboxylase) did not show any clear change in activity in response to dietary fat content. With regards to quality parameters, there were no differences in gutted and fillet yields among treatments. Sensory analyses of dorsal fillets indicated only a difference in exudation (corresponding to loss of water) and whiteness within treatments in accordance with instrumental colour analyses and on ventral fillets, only a difference of sweet flavour was observed. No differences in hardness were detected by either instrumental texture analysis or sensory analysis. In conclusion, although high dietary lipid levels affected growth and whole body composition of turbot adversely they induced very few alterations in flesh quality.

No abstract

The fatty acid (FA) content of fish is generally said to reflect fatty acid composition of the diet. In fact, incorporation of FA into tissues is modulated by various metabolic factors, and final composition will depend upon the initial FA content, cumulative intake of dietary fatty acids, growth rate and duration. Analysis of time course of changes in FA composition should be easier with animals having different initial FA profiles, which are subsequently fed a diet with the same FA composition. Data from two studies, one with brown trout and another with turbot were used. Fish were first fed with diets containing one of three different oils (soybean oil (SO), linseed oil (LO) and fish oil (FO)), and subsequently fed the same fish oil-based diet (washout period). If we suppose a model fish having the same initial composition as those fed vegetable oil and which incorporate fatty acid in the same way as the control fish always fed fish oil, we may compute a model of dilution of initial fatty acid content with increasing growth and absolute fat deposition. Experimental data can be compared with a reference fatty acid profile given by this model for the same fatty acid increase. Application of the model to experimental data shows that while muscle neutral lipid (NL) FAs roughly follow this dilution model, those of muscle polar lipids (PL) undergo much faster changes than model values based on increase of total polar lipid quantities. Among observed differences between the model and experimental values, DHA is of particular interest as this fatty acid displays lower change rates (significant in turbot neutral lipids) than expected in contrast to other fatty acids.

The aim of the study was to investigate the replacement of fish oil by vegetable oils and the effects of a washout with a return to fish oil on growth performances and lipid metabolism. Three experimental fish meal based, isonitrogenous (crude protein content: 57.5%) and isolipidic (crude lipid content: 16.5%) diets, were formulated containing either 9% of added fish oil (FO), soybean oil (SO) or linseed oil (LO). Each diet was distributed to triplicate groups of 25 marketable size turbot (initial body weight of 579 g) grown in seawater at a water temperature of 17°C. Fish were fed once a day to visual satiety. At the end of the growth trial which lasted 13 weeks, all groups of turbot were fed FO diet for 8 weeks. The growth of turbot was high, but the incorporation of vegetable oils in the diets resulted in a slight decrease in growth as compared to those fed the fish oil based diet. Feed and protein efficiency and whole body composition were not affected by dietary lipid sources. Total lipid content was low in the muscle of turbot (below 2%), ventral muscle being fatter than dorsal muscle. Liver and muscle fatty acid (FA) composition reflected dietary FA composition. Liver and muscle of fish fed SO diet were rich in 18:2n-6 whereas those of fish fed LO diet were rich in 18:3n-3. Liver and muscle of fish fed SO and LO diets had lower levels of 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 in comparison to those of fish fed FO diet. In turbot, hepatic lipogenic enzyme activities were low and not influenced by dietary lipid source. At the end of the second period, after transfer to FO based diets, muscle FA composition of fish fed previously SO and LO diets was still different to those of fish fed the FO diet. The values of 18:2n-6 and 18:3n-3 respectively were lower than the values found at the end of the growth period but higher than those of fish fed the FO diet. An increase of FA levels, characteristic of fish oil, was observed in the liver and muscle of fish previously fed vegetable oils. Data obtained show that replacement of fish oil by vegetable oils is possible without any significant impact on growth performance of turbot, that dietary lipids are an effective vector to influence the nutritional quality of finished product and that a duration of 8 weeks is not sufficient to bring the FA profile of turbot of this size back to that of fish fed fish oil over the whole period.