TILAPIA AS FOOD FISH: ENHANCEMENT OF Ω-3 POLYUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS INTILAPIA (Oreochromis spp.)

B.R. CHAVAN¹*, A. YAKUPITIYAGE², G.A. ATAGUBA³, M.T. KAMBLE⁴, S.V. MEDHE^5
1Marine Biological Research Station (Dr. BSKKV), Ratnagiri, (MS), India
²Aquaculture and Aquatic Resource Management(AARM), Food, Agriculture and Bio-system Cluster (FABS), School of Environment, Resources and Development (SERD), Asian Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 4, Klong Luang, Pathumthani-12120, Thailand
³Aquaculture and Aquatic Resource Management(AARM), Food, Agriculture and Bio-system Cluster (FABS), School of Environment, Resources and Development (SERD), Asian Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 4, Klong Luang, Pathumthani-12120, Thailand
⁴Aquaculture and Aquatic Resource Management(AARM), Food, Agriculture and Bio-system Cluster (FABS), School of Environment, Resources and Development (SERD), Asian Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 4, Klong Luang, Pathumthani-12120, Thailand
⁵Aquaculture and Aquatic Resource Management(AARM), Food, Agriculture and Bio-system Cluster (FABS), School of Environment, Resources and Development (SERD), Asian Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 4, Klong Luang, Pathumthani-12120, Thailand
* Corresponding Author : brc15672@gmail.com

Received : 20-09-2015     Accepted : 21-10-2015     Published : 14-11-2015
Volume : 7     Issue : 9       Pages : 671 - 677
Int J Agr Sci 7.9 (2015):671-677

Keywords : PUFA, ω-3, DHA, EPA, Tilapia
Academic Editor : R. K. Mathukia
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : None declared

A plethora of literature exist regarding the health benefits of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) to man. Human evolution passed through a stage where ω-3: A plethora of literature exists regarding the health benefits of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) to man. Human evolution passed through a stage where ω-3: ω-6 PUFA ratio was 1 but with modernization this ratio has decreased in favour of ω-6 PUFA with attendant increases in inflammatory diseases. This review therefore focused on the importance of tilapia as a food fish in human diets and a cursory look at the metabolism of PUFA as well as existing protocols for incorporation in the flesh of tilapia and other food animals with a view to understanding protocols for increased incorporation in tilapia flesh as well as expected benefits. Dietary supplementation ω-3 PUFA: docosahexaenoic acid and eicosa pentaenoic acid (DHA and EPA), as found in fish oil, have been shown to decrease plasma triacylglycerols in humans, which helps to prevent atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Vegetable lipid sources in the diets of fish hold promise for sparing fish oil, which is currently a subject of debate between aqua culturists, scientists and conservationists. Linseed oil shows greater promise as a lipid feed constituent with ability to provide required ω-3 PUFA in muscle and plasma of fish with the possibility of transfer to man in the diets of fish.