Exploring the nutritional demand for essential fatty acids by aquaculture species

Abstract Essential fatty acids (EFA) remain one of the least well‐understood and enigmatic nutrients in aquaculture nutrition. Of all dietary nutrients none has a greater direct impact on the composition of its consumer. Their importance stems not only to their impact on animal growth, but also to factors such as reproduction, immunity and product quality. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n‐3) has consistently been shown to provide the greatest EFA value to most species. However, the nutritional value of eicosapentaenoic (EPA; 20:5n‐3) and arachidonic (ARA; 20:4n‐6) acids has also been significantly greater than that exhibited by linolenic (LNA; 18:3n‐3) and linoleic (LOA; 18:2n‐6) acids. All five fatty acids…

• CS
  Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
• UO
  University of Stirling