Dietary Lycium barbarum extract administration improved growth, meat quality and lipid metabolism in hybrid grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus ♂ × E. fuscoguttatus ♀) fed high lipid diets

Abstract

Growth, plasma biochemical parameters, meat quality, and expressions of lipid metabolism related genes were investigated in hybrid grouper fed high lipid diets supplemented with five levels (0, 0.5, 1, 2 and 10 g kg−1) of Lycium barbarum extract (LBE) for 8 weeks. Results showed that dietary LBE significantly improved growth and protein deposition, but reduced hepatic lipid content and abdominal fat percentage. Meanwhile, dietary LBE decreased plasma cholesterol, triglyceride and low density lipoprotein cholesterol contents, but improved the meat composition, amino acids and fatty acids profile in the muscle. Moreover, dietary LBE supplementation significantly increased the expression levels of hepatic fatty acid catabolism related genes, but reduced the expression levels of fatty acid synthesis and uptake related genes except for fish fed diets containing 4 g kg−1 LBE. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of LBE at 0.5–10 g kg−1 improved growth, protein deposition, meat quality and lipid metabolism in fish fed high lipid diets.