Quantification of Astaxanthin and Canthaxanthin in Muscle Tissues of Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss and Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis

This study reports the quantification of two main pigments in Salmonidae-astaxanthin and canthaxanthin, in different muscle tissues (skeletal and cardiac) of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss W. and brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis.. The fish were fed with conventional no pigment supplemented feed. The xanthophyll quantities in flesh and heart were determined by high performance liquid chromatography and photodiode array detection after single-laboratory validation of the method. The target analysis of surrounding water showed concentrations under detection limit. This study demonstrates the ability of rainbow trout and brook trout to absorb two main xanthophylls, from environment containing them in concentrations under the detection limit. The total xanthophyll content in the cardio muscle is larger than those in the skeletal muscle in both fish species and higher in the skeletal muscle of Salvelinus fontinalis.. than those of Oncorhynchus mykiss.