PRODUCTION OF EICOSAPENTAENOIC ACID BY FRESH-WATER VIBRIO

Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus (L.), were fed a moist pellet diet based on casein, dextrin and coconut oil in fresh water. The diet contained substantial amounts of saturated fatty acids, especially 12:0. Polyunsaturated fatty acids in the n-3 series were not detected in the diet, but analysis of the intestinal liquor stripped from the charr showed that eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3) accounted for 3.5% of fatty acids in total lipid. Colony forming units (CFU) of aerobic microorganisms were approximately 10(4) per mL intestinal liquor. Seventeen bacterial strains isolated from the intestinal liquor were screened for EPA production. Four isolates contained a high proportion of EPA in their total lipid. These isolates belong to the species Vibrio.