Evaluation of the Ascorbic Acid Status of Rainbow Trout (Salmo gairdneri)

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Abstract
Due to the instability of supplemental ascorbic acid in practical trout diets and the increased metabolism of this vitamin in trout ingesting enviromental toxicants, a method of assessing the adequacy of dietary ascorbic acid and the ascorbic acid status of the trout is required. Two groups of trout grown on ascorbic acid deficient diets produced deficiency symptoms within 16–20 wk. Liver ascorbic acid concentrations in the two groups declined to levels below 20 μg/g when deficiency symptoms appeared. Groups of trout grown on diets containing supplemental ascorbic acid to provide near or in excess of the National Research Council–National Academy of Science requirement for this vitamin after processing showed substantially higher liver ascorbic acid concentrations than the deficient fish. This indicates that the liver ascorbic acid concentration can be used as an index of the ascorbic acid status of the trout and that levels 20 μg/g or lower are marginal and immediate supplementation is required. Key words: ascorbic acid, rainbow trout, nutritional requirements

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