Feedstuffs for Aquaculture Comprising Stearidonic Acid

Abstract

The present invention relates to feedstuffs for use in aquaculture, as well as methods for producing said feedstuffs. The invention also provides methods for rearing fish and/or crustaceans. In particular, the present invention provides a method of rearing a fish or crustacean, the method comprising feeding the fish or crustacean a feedstuff comprising lipid, the fatty acid of said lipid comprising at least 5.5% (w/w) stearidonic acid (SDA).

1 - 60 . (canceled) 
     
     
         61 . A process for increasing the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) content in the white muscle, the red muscle, or the white and red muscle of a fish comprising feeding the fish a feedstuff comprising plant oil whose fatty acids comprise at least 5.5% (w/w) stearidonic acid (SDA), so as to thereby increase the LC-PUFA content of the white muscle, the red muscle, or the white and red muscle of the fish relative to the white muscle, the red muscle, or the white and red muscle of a corresponding fish fed a feedstuff comprising canola oil and whose fatty acids lack at least 5.5% (w/w) SDA, and wherein levels of 14:0 and 16:0 fatty acids in muscle tissue of the fish are reduced by at least 10% relative to a corresponding fish fed a corresponding feedstuff which comprises fish oil instead of the plant oil whose fatty acids comprise at least 5.5% (w/w) SDA. 
     
     
         62 . The process of  claim 61 , wherein the LC-PUFA is DHA. 
     
     
         63 . The process of  claim 62 , wherein the DHA content of the fatty acids of the white muscle lipid of the fish is increased to comprise 18.3% (w/w) DHA. 
     
     
         64 . The process of  claim 62 , wherein the DHA content of the fatty acids of the red muscle lipid of the fish is increased to comprise 9.6% (w/w) DHA. 
     
     
         65 . The process of  claim 61 , wherein the fish is a trout, carp, bass, bream, turbot, sole, milkfish, grey mullet, grouper, flounder, sea bass, cod, haddock, Japanese flounder, catfish, char, whitefish, sturgeon, tench, roach, pike, pike-perch, yellowtail, tilapia, eel or tropical fish. 
     
     
         66 . The process of  claim 61 , wherein the fish is a larval or a juvenile fish. 
     
     
         67 . The process of  claim 61 , wherein the fish is fed the feedstuff for at least 6 weeks. 
     
     
         68 . The process of  claim 61 , wherein the plant oil is from a plant which is canola, soybean, or flax. 
     
     
         69 . The process of  claim 68 , wherein the plant is genetically modified such that the fatty acids of the oil comprise at least 5.5% (w/w) SDA. 
     
     
         70 . The process of  claim 69 , wherein the plant comprises a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence at least 85% identical to the amino acid sequence of the protein encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in Genbank Accession No. AY234127, and having Δ6 desaturase activity. 
     
     
         71 . The process of  claim 61 , wherein the feedstuff comprises a transgenic organism, or extract or portion thereof and at least one other ingredient, wherein the organism is genetically modified such that the fatty acids of the organism, or extract or portion thereof comprise at least 5.5% (w/w) SDA. 
     
     
         72 . The process of  claim 71 , wherein the organism is yeast. 
     
     
         73 . The process of  claim 71 , wherein the transgenic organism, or extract or portion thereof comprises a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence at least 85% identical to the amino acid sequence of the protein encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in Genbank Accession No. AY234127, and having Δ6 desaturase activity. 
     
     
         74 . The process of  claim 65 , wherein the feedstuff comprises plant oil and at least one other ingredient, wherein the fatty acids of the oil comprise at least 5.5% (w/w) SDA. 
     
     
         75 . The process of  claim 74 , wherein the plant oil is from a plant which is canola, soybean, or flax. 
     
     
         76 . The process of  claim 65 , wherein the feedstuff comprises a transgenic organism, or extract or portion thereof and at least one other ingredient, wherein the organism is genetically modified such that the fatty acids of the organism, or extract or portion thereof comprise at least 5.5% (w/w) SDA. 
     
     
         77 . The process of  76 , wherein the organism is yeast. 
     
     
         78 . The process of  claim 76 , wherein the transgenic organism, or extract or portion thereof comprises a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence at least 85% identical to the amino acid sequence of the protein encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in Genbank Accession No. AY234127, and having Δ6 desaturase activity. 
     
     
         79 . The process of  claim 76 , wherein the at least one other ingredient is fishmeal, a starch source, a vitamin or a mineral.