Plant oils induce fatty acid plasticity in Artemia – A comparison among newly hatched, starved, and enriched nauplii

Abstract

Artemia nauplii (AN) are commonly fed as live prey, although they are deficient in certain fatty acids (FAs). To address this deficiency, AN are directly enriched with the necessary FAs. However, while the use of plant oils (POs) in aquafeed is common practice, their applicability toward mass production of enriched AN has not been fully explored. The goal of this study was to investigate the flexibility of AN FA synthesis in response to POs. Three olive oils (OOs) derived from single-cultivar trees (Kor, Par, and Arg) were used to enrich AN. Newly hatched (AN0) and 36-h starved AN (AN36) were designated as unenriched groups. While certain FAs increased (16:1n-7, 18:1n-7, 18:1n-9, 18:2n-6, 18:3n-3, 20:4n-6, and 20:5n-3) from AN0 to AN36, others, such as 16:0 and 18:0, decreased, indicating ongoing FA synthesis in AN. Regression models revealed interrelationships among FAs in AN36. The AN enriched with OOs exhibited significant changes in their FA profiles and interrelationships. These changes were attributed to either biosynthesis or dietary factors. Overall, the results suggest that using POs, as sustainable enrichment components, can effectively modify FA metabolism in AN to achieve desired FA profiles.