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Collaborative project: ColMicroalgae with optimised stearidonic acid contents for utilization in fish diets - subproject 2 (SteMiFisch)
Project
Project code: 28RF3109
Contract period: 01.03.2022
- 28.02.2025
Budget: 242,289 Euro
Purpose of research: Experimental development
Keywords: other aquatic organisms, animal feed, nutrients, sustainability, Fische, fish, process quality, marine organisms, food quality, cultivation, aquaculture
The provision of adequate feed sources to fullfill the predicted increase of aquaculture production is of highest relevance as supply of conventional feed components as fishmeal and fishoil is restricted. As a result of this shortage prices of fishmeal and fishoil increased heavily and underlined the need to identify alternative feed sources for the aquaculture sector. Especially substitution of fishoil with its characteristic high amounts of highly unsaturated fatty acids as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5 n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6 n-3) is challenging as the product quality of the fish is mainly influenced by the dietary fatty acid supply. Only freshwater fish have a limited capability of synthesis of EPA and DHA based on feed derived n-3 fatty acids. Based on recent studies the limiting step of this de novo synthesis seems to be the desaturation of linolenic acid (18:3 n-3) to stearidonic acid (18:4 n-3). According to this, high amounts of stearidonic acid in the feed of freshwater fish lead to an increased synthesis of EPA and DHA thus improving the chemical product quality of fish for human consumption. Hence, within the proposed project SteMiFisch phototrophic microalgae should be identified that contain not only EPA and DHA but also shorter chained fatty acids as stearidonic acid that can be further elongated and desaturated in rainbow trout. By optimizing the cultivation conditions the synthesis of the valuable fatty acids shall be elevated in the microalgae and applied in the feeding of rainbow trout. The substitution of fish oil as conventional source of EPA and DHA by the microalgae and the resulting effects on performance and quality parameters in terms of EPA and DHA accumulation in the fish will be used as main indicators.
Section overview
Subjects
- Freshwater fisheries
- Resource management
- Mariculture
