Higher Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Research Articles

Association of MTHFR (C677T, A1298C) and MTRR A66G polymorphisms with fatty acids profile and risk of neural tube defects.

This study aims to determine if 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR C677T and A1298C) and methionine synthase reductase (MTRR A66G) gene polymorphisms were associated with fatty acid (FA) levels in mothers of fetuses with neural tube defects (NTDs) and whether these associations were modified by environmental factors. Plasma FA composition was assessed using capillary gas chromatography. Concentrations of studied FA were compared between 42 mothers of NTDs fetuses and 30 controls as a function of each polymorphism by the Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric test. In MTHFR gene C677T polymorphism, cases with (CT + TT) genotype had lower monounsaturated FAs (MUFA) and omega-3 polyunsaturated FA (n-3 PUFA) levels, but higher omega-6 polyunsaturated FAs (n-6 PUFA) and omega-6 polyunsaturated FAs: omega-3 polyunsaturated FAs (n-6:n-3) ratio levels. In MTRR gene A66G polymorphism, cases with (AG + GG) genotype had lower MUFA levels, but higher PUFA and n-6 PUFA levels. Controls with (AG + GG) genotype had lower n-6 PUFA levels. In MTHFR gene C677T polymorphism, cases with smoking spouses and (CT + TT) genotype had lower MUFA and n-3 PUFA levels, but higher PUFA, n-6 PUFA, and n-6:n-3 ratio levels. Cases with (CT + TT) genotype and who used sauna during pregnancy had lower n-3 PUFA levels. In MTRR gene A66G polymorphism, cases with (AG + GG) genotype and who used sauna during pregnancy had higher PUFA and n-6 PUFA levels. Further research is required to clarify the association of FA metabolism and (MTHFR, MTRR) polymorphisms with NTDs.

Unlocking functional lipid ingredients from algae by food-grade biosolvents and ultrasound-assisted extraction for nutritional applications

Algae are a sustainable source of healthy and functional lipids. The production of extracts suitable for food and nutraceutical industries requires food-grade solvents, which may have low lipid extraction yield and/or purity. This work aimed to assess the efficiency of biosolvents ethanol (E) and ethyl acetate (EA) in obtaining food-grade lipid ingredients from an algae blend, Fucus vesiculosus, Ulva sp., and Chlorella vulgaris, in comparison with the Folch method. Ultrasound (UAE) was assayed to enhance the biosolvent extraction. The results showed that the different extraction approaches can significantly influence the extraction yield, lipid purity, and lipid composition, including fatty acid (FA) content. EA and EA+UAE produced high lipid purity (>74%) extracts with high polyunsaturated FA (≤77.5%) and n-3 FA (≤74.4%) contents, despite the lower extraction yield. E+UAE may be used to obtain lipid-rich ingredients from algae blend (57%) and C. vulgaris (91%). All extracts showed anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. This study provides relevant information for the production of food-grade lipid ingredients from algae.

Production of sodium alginate-gelatin composite hydrogel-based 3D cultured fat with low cholesterol and high polyunsaturated fatty acids

Production of sodium alginate-gelatin composite hydrogel-based 3D cultured fat with low cholesterol and high polyunsaturated fatty acids

Characterization and discrimination of lamb with different breeds and muscle types using precursors and volatile compounds

The unique aromas of mutton stem from the chemical reactions between the characteristic precursors during cooking. This study aimed to establish the relationship of volatile compounds and aroma precursors (protein, fat, free amino acids and fatty acids) in lamb from different breeds and muscle types. Hong lamb was characterized by greater tenderness and water holding capacity, higher polyunsaturated fatty acids and higher essential/non-essential amino acids in comparison with Hu lamb. Aldehydes, such as heptanal, hexanal, octanal and nonanal were higher in Hong-ST compared with Hu-ST. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that aroma precursors were closely related to volatile components of cooked lamb. Discriminant analysis results showed that precursors and volatile compounds could be used to identify the breeds and muscle types of lamb. These findings revealed the contributors of lamb aroma and might help understand the regulatory mechanism of aroma in lamb from different breeds and muscle types.

Influence of Dietary Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Intake on Potential Lipid Metabolite Diagnostic Markers in Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Case-Control Study.

Non-invasive diagnostics are crucial for the timely detection of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), significantly improving survival rates. Despite advancements, specific lipid markers for RCC remain unidentified. We aimed to discover and validate potent plasma markers and their association with dietary fats. Using lipid metabolite quantification, machine-learning algorithms, and marker validation, we identified RCC diagnostic markers in studies involving 60 RCC and 167 healthy controls (HC), as well as 27 RCC and 74 HC, by analyzing their correlation with dietary fats. RCC was associated with altered metabolism in amino acids, glycerophospholipids, and glutathione. We validated seven markers (l-tryptophan, various lysophosphatidylcholines [LysoPCs], decanoylcarnitine, and l-glutamic acid), achieving a 96.9% AUC, effectively distinguishing RCC from HC. Decreased decanoylcarnitine, due to reduced carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT1) activity, was identified as affecting RCC risk. High intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) was negatively correlated with LysoPC (18:1) and LysoPC (18:2), influencing RCC risk. We validated seven potential markers for RCC diagnosis, highlighting the influence of high PUFA intake on LysoPC levels and its impact on RCC occurrence via CPT1 downregulation. These insights support the efficient and accurate diagnosis of RCC, thereby facilitating risk mitigation and improving patient outcomes.

Influence of seasons and fish body parts on fatty acid profile and effect of seasons on proximate composition of Anatolian khramulya (Capoeta tinca) and Colchic khramulya (Capoeta sieboldii) captured from the Çekerek Dam in Yozgat, Turkey

Seasonal variations in nutrient content and fatty acid (FA) composition within the dorsal, ventral, caudal and whole muscle tissues of Capoeta sieboldii and Capoeta tinca, which were captured from the Çekerek Dam in Yozgat, Turkey, were investigated. The nutrient and fatty acid compositions of C. sieboldii and C. tinca changed according to the seasons and different body regions. Proximate compositions in these two fish species were 15.78–18.38 % protein, 1.19–2.65 % lipid, 78.42–81.25 % moisture, and 1.02–1.20% ash. The highest levels of saturated FA (SFA) were recorded in both C. sieboldii (26.94 %) and C. tinca (28.32 %) in the autumn, specifically in the ventral region. The highest monounsaturated FA (MUFA) values of C. sieboldii and C. tinca were observed in spring in ventral (31.30 %) and caudal (31.89 %) regions, respectively. The highest polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) values were 30.90 % (ventral) in winter for C. sieboldii and 33.95 % (dorsal) in autumn for C. tinca. The atherogenic index, thrombogenic index, n–6/n–3 FA ratio, and hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratio of C. sieboldii and C. tinca in this study were 0.42–0.67, 0.24–0.37, 0.10–0.34, and 1.34–2.23, respectively. These fish species represent valuable food sources for human health and nutrition.

Improvement in Visceral Adipose Tissue and LDL Cholesterol by High PUFA Intake: 1-Year Results of the NutriAct Trial.

We assessed the effect of a dietary pattern rich in unsaturated fatty acids (UFA), protein and fibers, without emphasizing energy restriction, on visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and cardiometabolic risk profile. Within the 36-months randomized controlled NutriAct trial, we randomly assigned 502 participants (50-80 years) to an intervention or control group (IG, CG). The dietary pattern of the IG includes high intake of mono-/polyunsaturated fatty acids (MUFA/PUFA 15-20% E/10-15% E), predominantly plant protein (15-25% E) and fiber (≥30 g/day). The CG followed usual care with intake of 30% E fat, 55% E carbohydrates and 15% E protein. Here, we analyzed VAT in a subgroup of 300 participants via MRI at baseline and after 12 months, and performed further metabolic phenotyping. A small but comparable BMI reduction was seen in both groups (mean difference IG vs. CG: -0.216 kg/m2 [-0.477; 0.045], partial η2 = 0.009, p = 0.105). VAT significantly decreased in the IG but remained unchanged in the CG (mean difference IG vs. CG: -0.162 L [-0.314; -0.011], partial η2 = 0.015, p = 0.036). Change in VAT was mediated by an increase in PUFA intake (ß = -0.03, p = 0.005) and induced a decline in LDL cholesterol (ß = 0.11, p = 0.038). The NutriAct dietary pattern, particularly due to high PUFA content, effectively reduces VAT and cardiometabolic risk markers, independent of body weight loss.

Exploring the cause of reduced production responses to feeding corn dried distillers' grains in lactating dairy cows

An experiment was conducted to identify the factors that cause reduced production of cows fed a diet with high corn distiller's grains with solubles (DDGS). We hypothesized that the factors could be high S content in DDGS which may directly (S toxicity) or indirectly [dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD)] cause reduced production. We also hypothesized that high polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in DDGS could be another major factor. In a randomized complete block design, 60 lactating cows (15 primiparous and 45 multiparious; average ± SD at the beginning of the trial: milk yield, 44.0 ± 6.9 kg/d; DIM, 123 ± 50; BW, 672 ± 82 kg) were blocked and cows in each block were randomly assigned to one of the following treatments: SBM [4.7% fatty acids (FA), 0.22% S, and 178 mEq/kg DM of DCAD], a diet containing soybean meal as the main protein source; DG, SBM replacing mainly soybean byproducts and supplemental fat with DG at 30% dietary DM (4.7% FA, 0.44% S, and 42 mEq/kg DM of DCAD); SBM+S, SBM with sodium bisulfate for additional dietary S (4.8% FA, 0.37% S, and 198 mEq/kg DM of DCAD); SBM+CO, SBM with corn oil (4.7% FA, 0.23%, and 165 mEq/kg DM of DCAD); and DG+DCAD, DG with increased DCAD (4.7% FA, 0.40% S, and 330 mEq/kg DM of DCAD). Due to the limited tie stalls, the blocks of 1 to 6 started the experiment first as phase 1 and the rest of the blocks as phase 2 started the experiment after phase 1. All cows were fed the SBM diet for 10 d as a covariate period followed by the experimental period for 35 d. Data were analyzed using the PROC MIXED of SAS, block and phase were random effects and treatments, repeated wk, and interaction were fixed effects. There was an interaction of wk by treatment for DMI. While milk yield did not change, milk fat concentration tended to decrease (2.78 vs. 3.34%) for DG compared with SBM. Dry matter, OM, NDF, and CP digestibilities were lower when cows were fed the DG diet compared with SBM. Additionally, cows fed DG had lower blood concentrations of HCO3-, base excess, and tCO2 compared with SBM. The SBM+S diet did not affect production, nutrient digestibility, or blood parameters when compared with SBM. The SBM+CO diet decreased milk fat concentration and yield compared with SBM. The DG+DCAD diet tended to increase milk fat yield and concentration (1.24 vs. 1.47 kg/d; 2.78 vs. 3.37%) and increased ECM (40.9 vs. 45.1 kg/d) compared with DG but did not improve nutrient digestibility. However, blood HCO3-, base excess, and tCO2 were greater for DG+DCAD compared with DG. In conclusion, the indirect role of S-, altering DCAD, along with the high PUFA content in DDGS appears to be the factors causing reduced production responses to a high DDGS diet. Increasing DCAD to 300 mEq/kg DM in a high DDGS diet can be a feeding strategy to alleviate the reduced production responses.

Combinatorial effects of longan (Dimocarpus longan) peel extract and lecithin on stability of soybean oil and the oxidative stability of fried shrimp crackers during storage

Soybean oil contains relatively high polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) which present problems for storage, as they are not oxidatively stable. To solve this problem, the present study mixed a naturally hydrophilic antioxidant (longan peel extract, LP) with an amphiphilic compound (lecithin) to create a water-oil based interface with antioxidant properties and analyzed the effect on lipid oxidation. Pretreatments with LP, lecithin, and a combined mixture of LP and lecithin improved oxidative stability in refined soybean oil heated at 70 and 180 °C, by decreasing the resulting peroxide value (POV), conjugated dienes (CD) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). Pretreatment with a combination of both LP and lecithin exhibited a synergistic effect in lowering TBARS and maintaining α-tocopherol, which is an endogenous antioxidant in soybean oil. The pretreatment helped to maintain PUFAs, which led to the prevention of POV, CD and TBARS formation in the oil. In deep-frying experiment, application of LP, lecithin, and a combined mixture of the two, improved the stability of the frying oil in addition to fried shrimp crackers that were cooked in the oil. Collectively, the results demonstrated the potential of LP, lecithin, and their combination in improving oxidative stability of vegetable oils under high-temperature conditions.

Traditional and Domestic Cooking Dramatically Reduce Estrogenic Isoflavones in Soy Foods.

Soybean is a pulse which has considerable nutritional value due to its high protein, fibers and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) contents. It also contains phytoestrogenic compounds that definitely hinder its recommendation for general consumption. Contrary to ancient times, when soybeans were boiled, modern commercial soy foods can contain up to 150 mg/100g of estrogenic isoflavones. Interestingly, current estimations of isoflavone intake in the literature do not distinguish between the origins of soy food, i.e., whether it is homemade or commercial. As a result, the isoflavone exposure in Asian countries may well be overestimated. This study aims to demonstrate, based on step-by-step monitoring of isoflavones, that traditional and domestic treatments, leveraging isoflavones water-solubility, can indeed significantly reduce their content in soy foods. Indeed, when compared to commercial foods, the isoflavone content was found to be 20, 2.6, 4.5 and 9.8 times lower in "homemade" soy juice, tofu, tempeh and miso, respectively. Additionally, water soaking was found to reduce the isoflavones levels in soy-textured proteins by more than 70%. Hence, this simple process has the potential to help drastically reduce overall xenoestrogens exposure. This study could serve as a basis for establishing the isoflavones Reference Dose and issuing food safety guidelines.

Comparative Study of Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality of Local Mediterranean Donkey Breeds.

This study aimed to evaluate carcass and meat quality traits in Masri (n = 14) and North African (n = 14) male donkeys, raised in a semi-intensive breeding system, grazing on mountainous areas, with supplementation of 1 kg of barley per day per animal, slaughtered at 5 (±0.48) years old. Compared to Masri, the North African population exhibited higher (p < 0.05) final body weights (181.7 ± 2.1 and 212.5 ± 7.6 kg) and cold carcass weights (101.7 ± 1.3 and 116.2 ± 4.5 kg), but lower (p < 0.05) cold dressing percentages (56.0 ± 0.4 and 54.6 ± 0.4%). Meat quality analyses showed higher (p < 0.05) cooking loss values in Masri meat (43.9 ± 0.8 vs. 39.9 ± 1.2%). Among the meat color parameters, the hue value was higher (p < 0.05) in North African samples (0.42 ± 0.01 vs. 0.39 ± 0.1). Meat from North African donkeys had higher (p < 0.05) dry matter, fat, and protein contents. Meat amino acid analysis revealed abundant levels of lysine, leucine, and methionine, in both populations. Donkey meat from both populations presented a high polyunsaturated fatty acids content, resulting in polyunsaturated fatty acids/saturated fatty acids and omega 6/omega 3 ratios for all breeds close to the recommended values for human health. Atherogenic and thrombogenic indices were also suggested to have positive effects on consumers' artery health. The characteristics of donkey meat present intriguing nutritional aspects compared to ruminant meat, and its production should be encouraged in the rural development of inner-Mediterranean areas.

Biodiesel as a Sustainable Platform Chemical Enabled by Selective Partial Hydrogenation: Compounds Outplace Combustion?!

The hydrogenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in vegetable oils and their derivatives is essential for their use in many areas, such as biofuels and food chemistry. However, no attempts have been made to adapt this technology to the requirements of further chemical utilization of fatty acid methyl esters as molecular building blocks, especially for particularly promising double-bond reactions. In this work, we, therefore, use three homogeneous catalytic model reactions (hydroformylation, isomerizing methoxycarbonylation, and ethenolysis) to show, firstly, that it is already known from the literature that high PUFA contents have a negative impact on activity and selectivity. Subsequently, using the example of soybean and canola biodiesel, we demonstrate that these key figures can be drastically improved by a preceding selective partial hydrogenation. This makes it possible to first reduce the share of PUFAs to <1 w % without causing significant overhydrogenation and then to carry out hydroformylation, methoxycarbonylation, and ethenolysis with significantly increased activity (up to twentyfold) and selectivity (up to 80 % increase). With these findings, we hope to convince the scientific and industrial world of the potential of selective partial hydrogenation as a key technology for utilizing renewable raw materials and to encourage its effective use in future work.

Nutrient and salinity stress induced biodiesel production from a green alga, Monoraphidium neglectum

The potential of a green alga as a versatile and sustainable feedstock for biodiesel production was assessed. Molecular identification revealed the alga to be Monoraphidium neglectum. Under diverse growth conditions, including nutrient deficiency and salinity stress, the microalga showed robust adaptability. Under nitrate deficiency (N-, the lipid content peaked (30.67 %), with a notable increase in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), reaching 50.72 % in the stressed sample. Additionally, the highest polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content (24.55 %) was observed at a salinity level of 0.12 M. At 0.01 M salinity, the highest total carbohydrate content was observed. A significant fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) yield of 85.08 % was obtained under nitrate deficiency (N-) emphasizing its biodiesel production potential. The as-obtained biodiesel exhibited low viscosity, superior low-temperature performance and enhanced oxidation stability rendering the alga as an ideal candidate for eco-friendly, sustainable biodiesel production.

Co-exposure to 55 endocrine-disrupting chemicals linking diminished sperm quality: Mixture effect, and the role of seminal plasma docosapentaenoic acid

Isolated effects of single endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on male reproductive health have been studied extensively, but their mixture effect remains unelucidated. Previous research has suggested that consuming diet enriched in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) might be beneficial for reproductive health, whether omega-3 PUFA could moderate the effect of EDCs mixture on semen quality remains to be explored. In this study of 155 male recruited from a reproductive health center in China, we used targeted-exposomics to simultaneously measure 55 EDCs in the urine for exposure burden. Regression analyses were restricted to highly detected EDCs (≥55%, n = 34), and those with consistently elevated risk were further screened and brought into mixture effect models (Bisphenol A, ethyl paraben, methyl paraben [MeP], benzophenone-1 [BP1], benzophenone-3, mono(3-carboxypropyl) phthalate [MCPP]). Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) and quantile-based g-computation (QGC) models demonstrated that co-exposure to top-ranked EDCs was related to reduced sperm total (β = −0.18, 95%CI: −0.29 – −0.07, P = 0.002) and progressive motility (β = −0.27, 95%CI: −0.43 – −0.10, P = 0.002), but not to lower semen volume. BP1, MeP and MCPP were identified as the main effect driver for deteriorated sperm motion parameters using mixture model analyses. Seminal plasma fatty acid profiling showed that high omega-3 PUFA status, notably elevated docosapentaenoic acid (DPA, C22:5n-3) status, moderated the association between MCPP and sperm motion parameters (total motility: β = 0.26, 95%CI: 0.01 – −0.51, Pinteraction = 0.047; progressive motility: β = 0.64, 95%CI: 0.23 – 1.05, Pinteraction = 0.003). Co-exposure to a range of EDCs is mainly associated with deteriorated sperm quality, but to a lesser extent on sperm quantity, high seminal plasma DPA status might be protective against the effect. Our work emphasizes the importance of exposomic approach to assess chemical exposures and highlighted a new possible intervention target for mitigating the potential adverse effect of EDCs on semen quality.

Fish oil supplement use modifies the relationship between dietary oily fish intake and plasma n-3 PUFA levels: an analysis of the UK Biobank.

Observational evidence linking dietary n-3 PUFA intake and health outcomes is limited by a lack of robust validation of dietary intake using blood n-3 PUFA levels and potential confounding by fish oil supplement (FOS) use. We investigated the relationship between oily fish intake, FOS use and plasma n-3 PUFA levels in 121650 UK Biobank (UKBB) participants. Ordinal logistic regression models, adjusted for clinical and lifestyle factors, were used to quantify the contribution of dietary oily fish intake and FOS use to plasma n-3 PUFA levels (measured by NMR spectroscopy). Oily fish intake and FOS use were reported by 38 % and 31 % of participants, respectively. Increasing oily fish intake was associated with a higher likelihood of FOS use (P < 0·001). Oily fish intake ≥ twice a week was the strongest predictor of high total n-3 PUFA (OR 6·7 (95 % CI 6·3, 7·1)) and DHA levels (6·6 (6·3, 7·1). FOS use was an independent predictor of high plasma n-3 PUFA levels (2·0 (2·0, 2·1)) with a similar OR to that associated with eating oily fish < once a week (1·9 (1·8, 2·0)). FOS use was associated with plasma n-3 PUFA levels that were similar to individuals in the next highest oily fish intake category. In conclusion, FOS use is more common in frequent fish consumers and modifies the relationship between oily fish intake and plasma n-3 PUFA levels in UKBB participants. If unaccounted for, FOS use may confound the relationship between dietary n-3 PUFA intake, blood levels of n-3 PUFAs and health outcomes.

Immunomodulatory effect of fish oil and its polyunsaturated fatty acid components

Trends in purchasing functional foods and pharmaceutical products as immune boosters in Indonesia have begun to increase due to the current COVID-19 pandemic situation. One of them is fish oil, which is known as the oil with the highest polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) content compared to other oils, especially eicosapentaenoic acids (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acids (DHA) are well-known to have many health benefits. EPA and DHA also act as immunomodulators to maintain the immune system. It is shown by the presence of anti-inflammatory, vasodilating, anti-arrhythmic, and anti-aggregation effects. Journal articles and national reports published from 2011 to 2021 from several databases, such as Google Scholar, Scopus, and PubMed were collected to obtain abstract and original articles related to the immunomodulatory effects of EPA, DHA, and fish oil. This study highlights the immunomodulatory function of EPA and DHA in fish oil, and several studies of EPA and DHA in vitro, in vivo, and in human study. The potential health benefits of fish oil are explored, especially to evaluate the immunomodulatory effect of fish oil.

Effects of replacement of dietary fish oil with plant oil on growth performance and fatty acid composition of spinefoot rabbitfish, Siganus rivulatus.

A 95-day feeding study was carried out to evaluate the impact of complete replacement of fish oil by plant oils in the growth performance, feed consumption fatty acid and body composition of juvenile rabbitfish, Siganus rivulatus. There were four treatments i.e., A (fish oil diet), (linseed oil diet), C (soybean meal oil diet) and D (sunflower oil diet). The experimental trial was conducted in twelve 1.5-m3 fiber glass tanks (n=3). Spinefoot rabbitfish juveniles had an average initial weight of 0.948 g ± 0.124 g and they were stocked at 50 fish per tank. Fish fed diet A showed significantly better growth rate, final body weight, and total body weight than fish fed on the other diets. Moreover, the best FCR was observed for diet A followed by diet C and diets B and D had the worst FCR. Fish body composition for crude protein, dry matter, ashes and gross energy at the end of the trial had not differed between the treatments. The highest polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) was found in fish fed diet A followed in decreasing order by diets D, B, and C. Fish oil is a better dietary lipid source for Spinefoot rabbitfish juveniles, Siganus rivulatus, than plant oils. Among plant oils, soybean oil was better than linseed oil and sunflower oil as the main dietary fat source.

Fatty Acid Profiles of Fish Oil Derived by Different Techniques from By-Products of Cultured Black Sea Salmon, Oncorhynchus mykiss

The fatty acid profiles of fish oil extracted from by-products of cultured Black Sea salmon, Oncorhynchus mykiss, using conventional (CFO) and dry freezing oil (DFO) techniques were investigated. In the CFO and DFO groups, MUFA+PUFA comprised 74.00% and 72.68% of total fatty acids, respectively. The highest PUFA was linoleic acid (CFO = 14.22%, DFO = 13.15%). Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6n3) was the second most concentrated fatty acid for PUFA in the CFO (8.12%) and DFO (8.02%) groups, followed by eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5n3) (CFO = 4.39%, DFO = 2.87%). Similarly, the difference between groups in omega-3 was statistically significant (p&amp;lt;0.05) and the CFO ratio was higher in the DFO. The PI, AI, TI, h/H, and UI percentages in the CFO group were 0.99, 0.37, 0.26, 2.98, and 1.73, respectively, while in the DFO group they were 0.80, 0.35, 0.31, 2.83, and 1.61, respectively. It was concluded that the oils obtained from Black Sea salmon by-products were rich in omega-3 fatty acids and had good lipid quality indexes.

Nutritional values of Artemia salina (brine shrimp) enriched with microalgae Chlorella vulgaris grown in banana stem compost extract medium

ABSTRACT Artemia salina enrichment is limited by the high cost and availability of commercial microalgae culturing media. This study was conducted to evaluate the nutritional value of Artemia salina nauplii enriched with Chlorella vulgaris grown in Bold’s Basal Medium (BBM, commercial media) and banana stem compost extract (BSCE) as the alternative low-cost media. The C. vulgaris was cultured in the laboratory and fed to Artemia nauplii hatched as per standard protocols and, after that, analyzed for nutritional values. Artemia fed BSCE-cultured C. vulgaris had significantly (p < .05) higher carbohydrates, total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and monounsaturated fatty acids, but lower saturated fatty acids (SFAs), while protein and lipids were the same as those fed BBM-cultured C. vulgaris. It was concluded that BSCE can replace BBM as an alternative microalgae culturing media and produce an ideal enrichment diet for fish larvae nutrition because of high PUFAs and lower SFAs.

Ameliorative effect of crocin on post-thaw quality, fertility-associated gene expression and fertilization potential of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) bull sperm.

Buffalo bull sperm suffer more cryoinjuries due to lipid peroxidation of high structural polyunsaturated fatty acid contents than cattle sperm. Consequently, the post-thaw fertilization potential of buffalo bull sperm is compromised. Crocin is a carotenoid known for its antioxidant potential through scavenging reactive oxygen species. Objectives of the current study were to investigate the effect of crocin addition in the semen extender on post-thaw quality, fertility-associated gene expression and fertilization potential of buffalo bull sperm. Semen samples (n = 32) from four Nili-Ravi buffalo bulls were extended with tris-citric acid extender containing different concentrations of crocin (0 mM; control, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 mM). The extended semen was packed in 0.5 mL French straws (25 × 106 sperm/straw) and cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen. Computer-assisted semen analysis, hypo-osmotic swelling test, normal apical ridge assay, Rhodamine 123, acridine orange, propidium iodide staining, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances assay were performed to assess sperm motility parameters, plasma membrane integrity, acrosome integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential, DNA integrity, viability, and lipid peroxidation, respectively. Expression levels of sperm acrosome-associated SPACA3, DNA condensation-related PRM1, anti-apoptotic BCL2, pro-apoptotic BAX, and oxidative stress-associated ROMO1 genes were evaluated through qPCR. The fertility of semen doses containing the most potent concentration of crocin (based on optimum post-thaw semen quality) was compared with control during the breeding season. Buffaloes (n = 400; 200/group) were inseminated 24 h after the onset of oestrus and transrectally palpated for pregnancy at least 60 days post-insemination. Results revealed that 0.5 and 1 mM crocin improved sperm post-thaw total motility, plasma membrane integrity, acrosome integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential and viability, and 1 and 1.5 mM crocin enhanced catalase activity and reduced lipid peroxidation compared to control (p < .05). Moreover, 1 mM crocin improved sperm post-thaw progressive motility, kinematics, and DNA integrity, and 1.5 mM crocin enhanced plasma membrane integrity than control (p < .05). Expression levels of SPACA3, PRM1 and BCL2 genes were higher (p < .05) with 1 mM crocin compared to other groups. In contrast, no difference (p > .05) was noticed in expressions of BAX and ROMO1 genes among all groups. The fertility rate of semen doses containing the most potent concentration (1 mM) of crocin was higher (p = .0465) compared to control (56 ± 0.03% vs. 46 ± 0.04%, respectively). In conclusion, 1 mM crocin in the semen extender improves post-thaw quality, fertility-associated gene expression and fertilization potential of buffalo bull sperm.