The effect of perilla oil added in diet on the biochemical properties of cultured sweet smelt, Plecoglossus altivelis, was investigated. The cultured fish were fed two different diets for 8 weeks; a control diet was a commercial diet, which was low in the content of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22: 6n-3) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20: 5n-3) less than approximately $2\%$ (CO group) and an experimental diet (PO group) was added perilla oil as a lipid source in the diet of the CO group. The PO group was superior in growth rate and feed efficiency compared with CO group. This trend showed markedly in female of both groups. The fatty acid composition in the muscle of PO group was closely related with those of the diet, while those of CO group were not. For plasma components, total cholesterol (CHOU of PO group was higher than that of CO group. Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), hydroxyl (OH) radical levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity of plasma were higher in PO group than CO group. The intensity of watermelon-like or cucumber-like aroma was much stronger in PO group with higher level of TBARS and OH radical in plasma compared CO group. Survival rate was also high in PO group with high levels of phagocytic rate, CHOL and SOD activity. These results suggest that perilla oil might be usefulness as a lipid source of the cultured sweet smelt diet, in which result in high quality of the cultured fish.
