Proximate, fatty acid, and free amino acid compositions in the muscle of cultured red sea bream fed moist pellet (MP-fish) were compared with those of the fish fed fresh bait (FB-fish). Lipid accumulation in the abdominal cavity of both fish was also examined.
The lipid content in the muscle of MP-fish was almost the same as that of FB-fish. On the other hand, the content of lipid in the abdominal cavity of MP-fish was higher than that in FB-fish. In the fatty acid composition of muscle non-polar lipid, the percentages of C18:1 n-9 and C18:2 n-6 in MP-fish were higher than in FB-fish, while the percentage of C22:6 n-3 was lower in the former than in the latter. Fatty acid composition of muscle non-polar lipid was affected by the bait.
Free amino acid composition was also affected by the bait. The content of Anserine in MP-fish was higher than that in FB-fish, while the contents of Lys, His, and Arg were much lower.
