CHEMICAL NATURE OF XANTHOPHYLLS IN FLESH AND SKIN OF CULTURED ARCTIC CHAR (SALVELINUS-ALPINUS L)

Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus L.) were fed diets containing astaxant hin, canthaxanthin, a mixture of the two, and shrimp-processing discar ds. The content and chemical nature of carotenoids in the flesh and sk in of Arctic char were monitored over a fifteen-week feeding period. R esults indicated that carotenoids were absorbed without any chemical c hange by both the flesh and skin of the char. Carotenoids were deposit ed in a larger concentration per unit weight in the belly skin, especi ally for char fed an astaxanthin-containing diet.