Fishing for answers

A researcher at the University of Saskatchewan has discovered that feeding coriander oil to farmed fish may make them more nutritious.

Murray Drew co-author of the study, "Effect of dietary coriander oil and vegetable oil sources on fillet fatty acid composition of rainbow trout" recently published in the Canadian Journal of Animal Science, found that coriander-fed fish had increased concentrations of DHA and EPA in the whole fillet. It was also discovered that there were no negative effects on the health or growth of the fish.

"Our study shows the addition of coriander oil to vegetable oil diets has the potential to improve the fillet fatty acid composition of farmed fish," said Drew, a professor with the College of Agriculture and Bioresources. "This discovery will contribute to the overall sustainability of aquaculture."

In addition to finding alternative ways to increase levels of DHA and EPA in farmed fish, aquaculture may become a new market for Saskatchewan's coriander producers. The benefits of eating fish and fish oil have long been established, but overfishing of wild stocks has helped the aquaculture industry become one of the fastest growing animal productions in the world and in Saskatchewan.
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