Enhancement of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid contents in a Japanese flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus, by low-temperature rearing

This study tested the enhancement of omega -3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid content in a Japanese flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus, through low-temperature rearing. The young fishes (age: 160 days) were reared at water temperatures of 7, 10, 15, 20, and 23 degrees C for four to seven months. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) contents in their muscle and body weights were observed during the rearing. The rates of increase in both EPA and DHA contents as rearing progressed were higher at lower temperatures. However, the increase in the inventory (total mass in muscle per fish) of these FAs was similar between temperatures except for 7 C because the growth of body weight offset the influence of temperature.