Fishing for tomorrow’s innovative aquaculture feed ingredients in Rimini

Lallemand Animal Nutrition to present 6 studies reinforcing benefits of existing products and sharing research into future microbial-based solutions

We are delighted to contribute to Europe’s major aquaculture event: Aquaculture Europe 2022.

During the three-day event, six scientific studies illustrate the company’s R&D approach to both continue documenting the benefits of existing solutions and searching for new yeast- and bacteria-based ingredients for aquaculture applications.

On Sept. 30, Lallemand will sponsor the “Health Management – Gut Health” oral session where Eric Leclercq, Aquaculture R&D Manager, delivers an introductory speech: “How to brew healthy performing fish with modern yeast,” focusing on the modes of action and applications of distinct yeast technologies.

“Functional nutrition is a pillar of preventive health to which yeast-based solutions historically contribute. Recent progress in harnessing the diversity of microbial fractions and host responses bolster their span of application in support of fish health, welfare and performance. This year’s contributions to Aquaculture Europe 2022 together highlights how specific microbial biotechnologies can be selectively deployed to provide a tangible contribution to an array of current aquaculture challenges,” Leclercq comments.

Here is an overview of this year’s contributions involving Lallemand microbial solutions, breaking new grounds in functional nutrition for aquaculture:

• The dose-response of seawater Atlantic salmon (salmo salar) to a mannan-rich yeast cell wall ingredient trades between growth and health benefits.

There has been very few MOS dose-response studies in aquatic species, which limits the optimal application of this well-established technology. In this study, a commercially available MOS-rich yeast cell wall (AGRIMOS, Lallemand Animal Nutrition) is shown to bring graded zootechnical and/or skin health benefits depending on the dose and background status of the fish. Such advances will help design optimized supplementation strategies depending on the target and challenges ahead.

• Pikeperch (Sander lucioperca) larval rearing optimization: Utilization of lactic acid bacteria for improving microbiome diversity and digestive enzyme activity.

This study explores the effects of Lallemand’s flagship probiotic bacteria, Pediococcus acidilactici CNCM I-4622 (BACTOCELL), for larval rearing. It indicates a positive effect of the probiotic by enhancing early enzyme activity, controlling microbiome diversity and improving larvae growth and survival rates.

In addition to exploring the applications of commercially available ingredients, other studies report on the development of novel potential ingredients:

• Modulation of physiological responses in Atlantic salmon exposed to stressor conditions: Hydrolyzed Debaryomyces hansenii in functional feeds can improve fish health and welfare.

This study, in partnership with the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (Ås, Norway) evaluates the potential of a novel non-Saccharomyces yeast derivative to mitigate the impact of stress factors on salmon immunity. It concludes that the yeast derivative has potential to modulate salmon health parameters and stress responses, highlighting its value to improving welfare in intensive aquaculture.

• Mitigation of Atlantic salmon winter-ulcer disease (Moritella viscosa) using a novel yeast-based functional ingredient.

In this study conducted in partnership with the University of Plymouth (UK), a novel yeast cell wall supplemented for five weeks increased resilience to a winter ulcer outbreak under controlled conditions. Skin wound development and mortality rate were mitigated. In addition, healing of the infectious wound was fastened. The researchers concluded this ingredient has the potential to contribute to the preventive management of infectious skin diseases in aquaculture.

• Effect of a probiotic mix on fish welfare and stress response: Influence of the time of day of administration.

The effects of some probiotics on mammals’ brain-gut axis — i.e. psychobiotic effects — are not well described in fish, as they are in some other species. In partnership with University of Murcia, Spain, this study broke new ground in this area. It documented a reduction of anxiety-like behaviour associated with modulation of stress biomarkers and of GABAergic signalling upon supplementation with a probiotic holding documented psychobiotic effects in humans (Cerebiome, Lallemand Health Solutions). This opens the way to the potential applications of psychobiotics to support fish health and welfare.

• Modulation of skin and intestinal mucosal barrier function in zebrafish (Danio rerio) fed different postbiotics and a probiotic from lactobacilli.

This study explores the potential of postbiotics (e.g. heat-killed, inactivated lactobacilli) for fish and other animals using zebrafish as a vertebrate model system. It demonstrates the potential of bacterial postbiotics to support intestinal and skin immunity through the modulation of both cellular and humoral immune responses. Thanks to the choice of the zebrafish model, this study represents a proof of concept for both fish and other vertebrate species.

Aquaculture Europe 2022 covers the full scope and diversity of European aquaculture, more information about the event can be found at: https://www.aquaeas.org/