Utilization of monounsaturated fatty acid (18:1n-9, oleic acid) by freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man) juveniles

Abstract

The utilization of oleic acid as an energy source and the effects of oleic acid levels and/or dietary soy bean lecithin (SBL) on oleic acid utilization, growth and survival, and lipid class and fatty acid compositions of freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man), juveniles were determined. Increase in levels of dietary oleic acid from 10 to 80 g kg−1 significantly (P≤ 0.05) reduced growth, survival and feed conversion efficiency of M. rosenbergii juveniles during the 40-day feeding period. Inclusion of 20 g kg−1 SBL had no significant effect (P≥ 0.05) on growth and survival, nor was there any interactive effect between dietary SBL and oleic acid levels. Body fatty acid profile of prawns reflected dietary fatty acid quantity. The fatty acid composition of prawns fed diets containing 80 g kg−1 oleic acid had tremendously high proportions of oleic acid. Polar lipids, mostly phosphatidylcholine (PC), constituted the bulk of the extracted total lipids. Prawns fed with SBL had significantly (P≥ 0.05) higher PC content. Oleic acid was metabolized for energy by M. rosenbergii juveniles at the same rate regardless of dietary level of SBL and/or oleic acid. Expired 14CO2 accounted for half of the ingested radioactivity 48 h after feeding with labelled diets. No significant difference in the amount of 14CO2 expired by prawns fed the labelled test diets was found. Per cent radioactivity ingested and absorbed into the body was also not significantly different in prawns of the different dietary treatments.