Partial replacement of soybean meal with high-oleic peanuts in the diets of domesticated striped bass (Morone saxatilis) enriches the fillets with linoleic acid.

Authors: FRINSKO, MIKE - North Carolina State University; KELLY, RYAN - North Carolina State University; Vu, Thien; Dean, Lisa; Read, Quentin; Sealey, Wendy; HALL, STEVEN - North Carolina State University; Toomer, Ondulla

Submitted to: American Peanut Research and Education Society Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/12/2026
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: In 2007, the NOAA-USDA Alternative Feeds Initiative encouraged research to identify terrestrial plant proteins as replacements to wild-sourced fishmeal and/or fish oil in the diets of farm-raised fish. We conducted a 16-week feeding trial with pure-bred domesticated striped bass utilizing high-oleic peanuts (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%) as replacement of fish oil and fish meal in fish diets. These studies demonstrated that feeding pure-bred striped bass a high-oleic peanut containing diet does not adversely affect the growth, health or survival of these fish. Moreover, the levels of saturated fats were significantly reduced in fillets from fish fed increasing levels of high-oleic peanuts in the diet. Polyunsaturated omega 6 fatty acid levels were enriched in fillets from fish fed the high-oleic peanut containing diets. The impact of these studies could improve sustainability with greater utilization of domestic agricultural products as a value-added feed ingredients to support domestic fish and/or aquaculture production.

Technical Abstract: A 16-week feeding trial was conducted to examine the dietary effects of partial replacement of defatted soybean meal with varying inclusion levels of blanched high-oleic peanuts (HOPN) in the diets of domesticated striped bass. Diets were formulated to be isocaloric, isonitrogenous and meet or exceed the nutrient requirements for striped bass. Nine hundred domesticated purebred striped bass fingerlings were divided into 12 tanks of 75 fish each, and tanks were randomly assigned to 4 HOPN treatment groups (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%). Fish were fed to satiation and reared in a recirculating aquaculture system following standard protocols. Body weights and body lengths were collected from fish within each tank every 4 weeks and feed intake was measured weekly. At termination, fish fillets were collected and analyzed for proximate composition and fatty acid profile. Analysis of variance was done on all response variables. There were no significant differences in the average weekly feed intake between the treatment groups (P > 0.05). Average body weights were similar between all treatments at week 4, 9 and 16 (P > 0.05). At 12 weeks, fish fed the 10% and 15% HOPN diet had similar average body weights as compared to the controls, while fish fed the 5% HOPN diet had significantly reduced average body weights relative to the controls (P < 0.01). Average body lengths were similar between the treatment groups at weeks 4 and 9. At week 16, fish fed the 5% and 15% HOPN diet had similar average body lengths as compared to the controls, while the average body lengths of the 10% HOPN treatment group were smaller than the controls (P < 0.01). Saturated fatty acid levels (myristic and palmitic) were significantly reduced in fillets from fish fed increasing levels of HOPN in the diet (P < 0.0001). Oleic (C18:1n-9), palmitoleic (C16:1), and linolenic (C18:3) acid levels decreased in fillets from fish fed increasing levels of HOPN in the diet. However, polyunsaturated linoleic acid (C18:2n-6) levels increased in fillets from fish fed increasing levels of HOPN in the diet (P < 0.0001). While HOPN use in fish diets may not enrich fish fillets with monounsaturated fatty acids, its inclusion was shown to contribute to increased polyunsaturated fatty acid levels in fillets that, when consumed, would benefit human health. This study demonstrated that high-oleic peanuts and other high-oleic oilseeds may serve as suitable alternate ingredients in striped bass aquaculture.