To investigate the effects on pigmentation and carotenoids metabolism of sea bass, Lateolablax japonicus, by supplemented carotenoids, fish were fed the diets each containing ${\beta}$-carotene, lutein ester, astaxanthin, astaxanthin monoester and ast...
To investigate the effects on pigmentation and carotenoids metabolism of sea bass, Lateolablax japonicus, by supplemented carotenoids, fish were fed the diets each containing ${\beta}$-carotene, lutein ester, astaxanthin, astaxanthin monoester and astaxanthin diester for 8 weeks. Carotenoids in the integuments were analyzed. The important carotenoids in the integuments of sea bass were tunaxanthin and lutein. ${\beta}$-carotene, ${\beta}$-cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin and ${\beta}$-carotene triol were minor contributors. Differences in the content of ${\beta}$-carotene, tunaxanthin fraction and lutein were observed between the natural and cultured sea bass. The wild sea bass contained higher amounts of tunaxanthin fraction and lutein, but contained lower amounts of ${\beta}$-carotene than cultured sea bass. In cultured sea bass with supplemented carotenoids, carotenoid deposition was higher in order of astaxanthin monoester group, astaxanthin group and astaxanthin diester group. Based on the contents and composition of carotenoids in each group after the feeding the experimental diet, The metabolism of carotenoid in sea bass was presumed to be the reductive metabolic pathways: astaxanthin to tunaxanthin via ${\beta}$-carotene triol, zeaxanthin and lutein.