Årbok 2013

Effects on

foetuses,

infants and children

Second to the proven health effects on CVD. seafood is generally associated with beneficia!

effects to the developing foetus, infants and children. DHA is the predominant structural fatty

acid in the central nervous system and the retina, and DHA is a crucial component in the

development of the brain. An increased maternal intake of seafood or marine n-3 fatty acids

is associated with multiple beneficia! developmemtal outcomes in infants and children.

In addition to CVD and developmental outcomes in children, beneficia! effects of seafood

consumption have been found for other diseases. However, it is important to emphasize that

the evidence base is less solid, and that results are otten inconclusive and/or contradictive.

Risks-benefits analyses of seafood consumption

There seem to be a general consensus among 1he expert panels that the beneficia! effects of

seafood by far outweigh the risks. The exceptions are a few wild predatory species that has

high levels of methyl mercury, and local fish stocks in polluted areas. With aquaculture there

is a possibility to monitor the environment and partially control the exposure of contaminants,

which is highly advantageous from a risk perspective.

Dietary modulation

Aquaculture enables dietary modulation of fish because farmers and/or feed manufacturers

have control over what components that comprises the feed. It is thus feasible to modify the

feed composition in order to raise the contents of health beneficia! components in the fish.

The successfulness of enhancing nutrient levels depends on many factors. Challenges to be

met include physiological factors, for instance are components retained in the flesh, or are

components actively excreted from the fish. Other aspects !hat must

evaluated include

the length of the feeding regime, for instance, do the species have to be fed an altered feed

for months/years, or is

possible to "top up" the content the final weeks/months befare

slaughter. lnstead of adding a component direc11y to the feed one may possibly stimulate the

endogenous synthesis in the species by feeding the fish pre-cursor molecules. The economic

perspectives are also critical, because dietary modulation may increase the production cost

of the feed.

Being the most scientifically proven health promoting components, DHA- and EPA-Ievels in

fish should from a health perspective be as high as possible. The increasing demand and

cost of marine oils in feed production, have led some feed manufacturers to choose

vegetable oils as a lipid source. From a health perspective this is not desired. Feed

manufacturers have focussed on improving growth and quality parameters of the fish, and at

the same time supply the fish with nutrients to maintain fish welfare and health. To a much

lesser extent, manufacturers and the industry have focused on the issue of optimizing the

nutritional composition of the species in order to maximize health effects for humans.

References

Larsen R., Eilertsen KE., Elvevoll EO.,

(2011 )

Health aspects of marine foods and

ingredients-

Biotechnology Advances,

29(5), 508-18

Jensen 1-J, Mæhre HK, Tømmerås S, Eilertsen K-E, Olsen RL

Elvevoll EO

(2012)

Farmed Atlantic salmon

(Sa/mo sa/ar L.)

is a good source of lang chain omega-3 fatty

acids.

Nutrffion Bulletin,

37,

25-29.

3. Larsen R, Eilertsen K-E, Mæhre H, Jensen 1-J

Elvevoll EO (2013)

Taurine content in

marine foods-

Beneficia/

health effects.

In: Herrero M

Hemandez B (eds.)

Bioactive

compounds from marine foods: plant and animal sources.

Oxford, UK: Wiley-Biackwell

(In press)