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Chinese study investigates lysolecithin on juvenile turbot diet

Lysolecithin, also called lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), can decrease the dietary lipid requirements of turbot and also increase its weight gain rate and specific growth rate.

These were among the key findings of a new study, “Effects of dietary lysolecithin (LPC) on growth, apparent digestibility of nutrient and lipid metabolism in juvenile turbot (Scophthalmus maximus L.).” The eight-week trial, conducted in China, investigated graded levels of dietary LPC on growth, apparent digestibility of nutrients, and lipid metabolism in juvenile turbot.

Lipid is vital to fish health because it supplies energy and acts as a structural component of cell membranes. It may also provide proteins in its diet, the study explained, citing previous studies. Lead researcher Baoshan Li and the fellow authors are from the Shandong Marine Resource and Environment Research Institute and Kemin Industries.

In the absence of an emulsifier, it is poorly absorbed in an environment containing water. LPC is an emulsifier that helps make the consistency of products smooth and easy to spread.

“The limited capacity of young animals to secrete bile salts, one kind of emulsifier, means there is inefficient utilization of dietary lipids,” the study said. “LPC increased the growth performance of turbot by enhancing the lipid utilization coefficient efficiency.”

Compared to the control groups, the weight gain rate and specific growth rate of the fish fed LPC supplemented diets were found to be “significantly higher.”

An analysis-based weight gain rate showed that the optimal supplementation of LPC in juvenile turbot diet was 870.37mg/kg.

“Adding between 1,000 and 5,500 mg/kg in the diets had the same effect and the higher concentrations with time may also have a negative effect on fish health,” the study said.

The study was published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Shanghai Ocean University.