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Aquaculture produces wholesome food: cultured fish as a valuable source of n-3 fatty acids

  • EUROPEAN AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT SINCE 1993
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Abstract

Long-chain unsaturated n-3 fatty acids are of remarkable significance in human nutrition. They have antiatherosclerotic efficacy and other beneficial health effects too. Aquaculture fish, e.g. cyprinids, such as silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis), common carp (Cyprinus carpio), tench (Tinca tinca), and salmonids like Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) as well as European catfish (Silurus glanis), Baltic whitefish (Coregonus maraena), European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax), gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata), and Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), are rich in these fatty acids. When fed on suitable diets, the fatty acid composition of cultured fish can be influenced advantageously. Several clinical tests proved the effectiveness of the consumption of farmed fish in promoting human health. Thus, aquaculture fish can be recommended as wholesome food.

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  1. German Fisheries Association, Hamburg, Germany

    Werner Steffens

  2. Eitelsdorfer Str. 32, 12555, Berlin, Germany

    Werner Steffens

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  1. Werner Steffens
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Correspondence to Werner Steffens.

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Guest editors: Elena Mente & Aad Smaal / European Aquaculture Development since 1993: The benefits of aquaculture to Europe and the perspectives of European aquaculture production.

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Steffens, W. Aquaculture produces wholesome food: cultured fish as a valuable source of n-3 fatty acids. Aquacult Int 24, 787–802 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10499-015-9885-8

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