Proceeding
Marine Organisms and Fat Soluble Nutrients
1995 Volume 12 Pages 1-8
Details
1995 Volume 12 Pages 1-8
The n-3 fatty acid such as eicosape叫 aenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are polyunsaturated fatty acids which are commonly found in various marine organisms. The useful roles and beneficial effect of these fatty acids to human health have been recognized. The pharmacological effects of these fatty acids have been observed mainly infraction of the heart muscle and cancer. Particularly, DHA is highly valued as component in health foods. It is reported that a marine unicelluler algal species, Crythecodinium cohnii contains DHA in large amount.
It has been demonstrated that highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUF A) have a high essential fatty acid efficacy for many fish and crustaceans. Recently, several workers have shown that DHA is a more efficient essential fatty acid than EPA for several larval and juvenile fishes and shrimp. Therefore, in aquaculture, marine fish larvae are generally reared on n-3 HUF A enriched rotifers and Artemia or microparticulate diets.
The origin and circulation of EPA and DHA and the transfer of these fatty acids from marine organisms to land mammals via the food chain will be discussed in the present paper.
