What question did this study set out to answer?

May 1, 2026Animals0 citationsOpen Access

Effects of Microalgae-Based Nutraceuticals on Muscle Composition and Intestinal Function in Juvenile Gilthead Seabream Fed Plant Protein-Based Diets

AGAlba Galafat IRIsabel del Carmen Ruiz-RodríguezUniversity of Almería AMAlejandro Morcillo-GuillénUniversity of Almería

Key Points

To evaluate the impact of microalgae-based nutraceuticals on muscle composition and intestinal function in juvenile gilthead seabream fed plant protein-based diets.
Utilized four diet formulations including control and plant-based diets with varying microalgae supplements.
Measured growth, muscle composition, oxidative status, digestive function, and intestinal morphology.
Assessed fish fed diets containing 1% LB-IMMUNOboost and 1% LB-LIVERprotect compared to control and plant-based diets.
Fish fed the plant-based diet (CTV) had reduced growth compared to control (CTF) with growth rates expressed in relative percentages.
Microalgae LB-IMMUNOboost (IB10) showed partial mitigation of growth reduction effects as compared to LP10 and the control.
Digestive enzyme activities improved with IB10 and LP10 supplementation compared to the control, particularly in the IB10-fed fish.

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of dietary fortification of high plant protein aquafeeds with two microalgae-based functional ingredients on growth, muscle composition, oxidative status, digestive function, and intestinal morphology in juvenile Sparus aurata with an average body weight of 28.4 g. Four diets were tested: a control with high fishmeal and fish oil (CTF), a plant-based diet containing 5% fishmeal and 5% fish oil (CTV), and two CTV diets supplemented with 1% LB-IMMUNOboost (IB10) or 1% LB-LIVERprotect (LP10). Fish fed CTV and LP10 showed reduced growth compared to CTF, while IB10 partially mitigated these effects. High plant dietary inclusion reduced muscle protein and increased lipid content, except in IB10-fed fish. Reduction in fishmeal and fish oil decreased muscle saturated fatty acids, EPA, and DHA. Despite similar HUFA levels in the plant-based diets, IB10 and LP10 significantly reduced lipid peroxidation, indicating a direct antioxidant effect of the functional ingredients. Digestive enzyme activities were impaired in CTV-fed fish but partially recovered in IB10 and LP10, particularly IB10. Histology revealed shorter intestinal folds and more goblet cells in high plant protein diets, especially LP10, potentially impairing absorption. Overall, microalgae-based functional ingredients, particularly LB-IMMUNOboost, partially alleviated these adverse effects, supporting their use in more sustainable aquafeed formulations.

问 AI

Bookmark

View Full Paper