Farmed salmon feeds have changed from purely marine-based diets with high levels of EPA and DHA in the 1990s to the current 70 % plant-based diets with low levels of these fatty acids (FA). The aim of this study was to establish the impacts of low dietary EPA and DHA levels on performance and tissue integrity of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Atlantic salmon (50 g) in seawater were fed fourteen experimental diets, containing five levels (0, 0·5, 1·0, 1·5 and 2·0 %) of EPA, DHA or a 1:1 EPA+DHA plus control close to a commercial diet, to a final weight of 400 g. Lack of EPA and DHA did not influence mortality, but then-3-deficient group exhibited moderately slower growth than those fed levels above 0·5 %. The heart and brain conserved EPA and DHA levels better than skeletal muscle, liver, skin and intestine. Decreased EPA and DHA favoured deposition of pro-inflammatory 20 : 4n-6 and 20 : 3n-6 FA in membrane phospholipids in all tissues. When DHA was excluded from diets, 18 : 3n-3 and EPA were to a large extent converted to DHA. Liver, skeletal and cardiac muscle morphology was normal in all groups, with the exception of cytoplasm packed with large or foamy vacuoles and sometimes swollen enterocytes of intestine in both deficient and EPA groups. DHA supplementation supported normal intestinal structure, and 2·0 % EPA+DHA alleviated deficiency symptoms. Thus, EPA and DHA dietary requirements cannot be based exclusively on growth; tissue integrity and fish health also need to be considered.

Microalgae, as primary producers of EPA and DHA, are among the most prominent alternative sources to fish oil for n-3 long-chain PUFA in animal and human nutrition. The present study aimed to assess technical, nutritional and fish health aspects of producing n-3-rich Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) fish fillets by dietary supplementation of increasing levels of a DHA-producing Schizochytrium sp. and reduced or without use of supplemental fish oil. Atlantic salmon smolt were fed diets with graded levels of microalgae for 12 weeks, during which all fish showed high feed intake rates with postprandial plasma leptin levels inversely correlating with final mean fish body weights. Fish performance was optimal in all experimental treatments (thermal growth coefficient about 4·0 and feed conversion ratio 0·8–0·9), protein digestibility was equal in all diets, whereas dietary lipid digestibility inversely correlated with the dietary levels of the SFA 16 : 0. Fillet quality was good and similar to the control in all treatments in terms of n-3 long-chain PUFA content, gaping, texture and liquid losses during thawing. Histological fluorescence staining and immunofluorescence analysis of salmon intestines (midgut: base of intestine and villi) revealed significant effects on slime, goblet cell production and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) activity with increasing levels of dietary Schizochytrium sp. supplementation. Microarray analysis did not reveal any signs of toxicity, stress, inflammation or any other negative effects from Schizochytrium sp. supplementation in diets for Atlantic salmon.

The present study aimed to determine the minimum requirements of the essentialn-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) that can secure their health under challenging conditions in sea cages. Individually tagged Atlantic salmon were fed 2, 10 and 17 g/kg of EPA + DHA from 400 g until slaughter size (about 3·5 kg). The experimental fish reared in sea cages were subjected to the challenging conditions typically experienced under commercial production. Salmon receiving the lowest EPA + DHA levels showed lower growth rates in the earlier life stages, but no significant difference in final weights at slaughter. The fatty acid composition of various tissues and organs had remarkably changed. The decreased EPA + DHA in the different tissue membrane phospholipids were typically replaced by pro-inflammatoryn-6 fatty acids, most markedly in the skin. The EPA + DHA levels were maintained at a higher level in the liver and erythrocytes than in the muscle, intestine and skin. After delousing at high water temperatures, the mortality rates were 63, 52 and 16 % in the salmon fed 2, 10 and 17 g/kg EPA + DHA. Low EPA + DHA levels also increased the liver, intestinal and visceral fat amount, reduced intervertebral space and caused mid-intestinal hyper-vacuolisation. Thus, 10 g/kg EPA + DHA in the Atlantic salmon diet, a level previously regarded as sufficient, was found to be too low to maintain fish health under demanding environmental conditions in sea cages.