International Journal of Aquaculture, 2024, Vol.14, No.1, 40-50 http://www.aquapublisher.com/index.php/ija 46 According to the study by Sprague et al. (2016), the proportions of different fatty acids in the muscle of farmed Atlantic salmon in Scotland changed significantly from 2006 to 2015. The trends in the content of marine and terrestrial fatty acids (Figure 2). With the rise in fish oil prices and the increased use of plant ingredients in salmon feeds, the proportions of terrestrial fatty acids (such as oleic acid 18:1n-9, linoleic acid 18:2n-6, and α-linolenic acid 18:3n-3) in salmon muscle increased significantly, from 15%, 5%, and 2% in 2010 to approximately 30%, 10%, and 5% in 2015, respectively. Meanwhile, the proportions of marine fatty acids, EPA (20:5n-3) and DHA (22:6n-3), decreased by about half. This trend indicates that changes in feed formulations have had a profound impact on the fatty acid composition of salmon. Similar changes have been observed in the salmon farming industries in Norway and Tasmania. Figture 2 Changes in the levels of fatty acids (% of total fatty acids), of either marine or terrestrial origin, in the flesh of Scottish Atlantic salmon farmed between 2006-2015 (mean ± SD) (Adopted from Sprague et al., 2016) 6.3 Health outcomes and benefits observed The health benefits of consuming Atlantic salmon with enhanced n-3 LC-PUFA levels are significant. These fatty acids are essential for human health, contributing to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and supporting overall well-being (Yu et al., 2014). Despite the reduction in EPA and DHA levels due to dietary changes, farmed Scottish salmon still delivers more of these essential fatty acids than most other fish species and terrestrial livestock (Sprague et al., 2016). Clinical tests have demonstrated the effectiveness of consuming farmed fish in promoting human health, highlighting the antiatherosclerotic efficacy and other beneficial effects of long-chain unsaturated n-3 fatty acids (Steffens, 2015). 6.4 Lessons learned and implications for future practices Several lessons can be drawn from this case study. The importance of maintaining high levels of n-3 LC-PUFA in aquaculture fish through dietary and genetic interventions is crucial for ensuring the nutritional value of the final product (Sprague et al., 2016; Horn et al., 2018). The use of alternative lipid sources, such as microalgae and genetically modified crops, presents a viable solution to the global shortfall of EPA and DHA (Steffens, 2015; Tocher et al., 2019). Selective breeding strategies can be effectively employed to enhance the fatty acid composition of aquaculture fish, thereby improving their health benefits for human consumers (Horn et al., 2018).
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