Dietary Conjugated Linoleic Acids and Lipid Source Alter Fatty Acid Composition of Juvenile Yellow Perch, Perca flavescens

A study was conducted to examine the effects of dietary conjugated linoleic acids (CLA; 0, 0.5 or 1.0 g/100 g total CLA) and lipid source (menhaden oil, soybean oil or a 1:1 mixture of menhaden:soybean oil) on growth rates and fatty acid composition of yellow perch. Dietary treatments were fed to apparent satiation to triplicate groups of fish initially weighing 37.9 g/fish. At the end of the 9-wk feeding trial, no significant differences were detected in weight gain or feed intake among fish fed any of the dietary treatments. Dietary CLA, lipid source and/or their interaction significantly affected feed efficiency, total liver lipid concentration, and muscle and liver fatty acid concentrations. Feed efficiency (g gain/g feed) was significantly lower in fish fed diets containing soybean oil (0.51) compared with fish fed menhaden oil (0.58) or menhaden:soybean oil (0.60). Liver total lipid concentrations were significantly reduced in fish fed 0.5 and 1.0 g/100 g CLA compared with fish fed the diets containing no CLA and in fish fed menhaden oil compared with those fed soybean oil or a 1:1 mixture of menhaden:soybean oil. Total CLA levels increased in both liver and muscle as dietary CLA concentration increased, irrespective of lipid source. However, total CLA concentrations were significantly lower in liver and muscle of fish fed soybean oil. Total muscle CLA concentrations were 0, 1.26 and 2.92 g/100 g fatty acids in fish fed diets containing menhaden oil and 0, 0.5 and 1.0 g/100 g CLA, respectively. Mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) concentrations were significantly lower in muscle and liver of fish fed CLA compared with fish fed the diets containing no CLA. In contrast, liver concentrations of saturated fatty acids, 14:0, 16:0 and 18:0, were significantly higher in fish fed 1.0 g/100 g CLA. J. Nutr. 131: 2322–2328, 2001.