Effect of carotenoid source and dietary lipid content on blood astaxanthin concentration in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Astaxanthin concentration in the blood of rainbow trout was studied in a feeding trial with two different astaxanthin sources: green algae Haematococcus pluvialis and commercial beadlets of 8% astaxanthin content (CAROPHYLL® Pink), and two different dietary lipid levels. The green algae contained 1.4% of carotenoids on a dry matter basis: free astaxanthin (< 1%), astaxanthin monoester (24.3%); astaxanthin diester (70.2%) and lutein (4.8%). Algal biomass was mechanically ground to disrupt the cell wall before incorporation in the feed. Hydrolysis of astaxanthin esters from algae occurred during the pelletization even at a low process temperature (43°C). Rainbow trout with an initial mean body weight of 150 g were fed experimental diets supplemented at a rate of 100 mg pigment/kg diet combined with two different lipid levels (9 and 24%) during 5 days. Astaxanthin concentration in the serum ranged from 5.3 μg/ml (8.9 nmol/ml) to 9.0 μg/ml (15.1 nmol/ml). Astaxanthin concentration in the serum was higher for fish fed high lipid level diets, independently of the astaxanthin source. No differences in the astaxanthin serum concentration were found for fish fed diets supplemented with either natural or synthetic astaxanthin, respectively 9.0 ± 1.9 and 8.4 ± 2.4 μg astaxanthin/ml serum, when dietary lipid level was high (24%). On the other hand, there was a higher blood astaxanthin concentration in fish fed diets supplemented with algal biomass (7.0 ± 2.4 μg astaxanthin/ml serum) compared to synthetic astaxanthin (5.3 ± 2.0 μg astaxanthin/ml serum) when dietary lipid level was low (9%).