Fish meal represents the main protein source for most commercially farmed aquatic species, as it is characterized by high nutritional value and lack of anti-nutritional factors. However, its availability and the market price have been recognized as serious problems at least for over a decade, making it necessary to search for nonconventional protein sources, as an alternative to fish meals. This review aims to comprehensively examine and critically revise the use of fish meal and all alternative protein sources explored to date on the health, welfare, and growth performance of the major aquatic species commercially interesting from a global scenario. The investigation revealed that the inclusion levels of the different protein sources, plant- and animal-derived, ranged from 10 to 80 % and from 2 to 100 % respectively, in partial or complete replacement of fish meal, and generated positive effects on health, welfare, growth performance, and fillet quality. However, the results showed that above a certain level of inclusion, each protein source can negatively affect fish growth performance, metabolic activities, and other biological parameters. Moreover, it is likely that by mixing different protein sources, the combination of each ingredient causes a synergistic effect on the nutritional properties. Therefore, the future of aquatic feed formulation is expected to be based on the blend of different protein sources. Overall, the analysis highlighted the need for additional research in the field of replacing fish meals with new protein sources, given that many knowledge gaps are still to be filled on aquatic species, which deserve to be investigated.

Alternative protein sources in aquafeed: Current scenario and future perspectives / V. Serra, G. Pastorelli, D.E.A. Tedesco, L. Turin, A. Guerrini. - In: VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCE. - ISSN 2451-943X. - 25:(2024 Sep), pp. 100381.1-100381.30. [10.1016/j.vas.2024.100381]

Alternative protein sources in aquafeed: Current scenario and future perspectives

V. Serra
Primo
;
G. Pastorelli
Secondo
;
D.E.A. Tedesco;L. Turin;A. Guerrini
Ultimo
2024

Abstract

Fish meal represents the main protein source for most commercially farmed aquatic species, as it is characterized by high nutritional value and lack of anti-nutritional factors. However, its availability and the market price have been recognized as serious problems at least for over a decade, making it necessary to search for nonconventional protein sources, as an alternative to fish meals. This review aims to comprehensively examine and critically revise the use of fish meal and all alternative protein sources explored to date on the health, welfare, and growth performance of the major aquatic species commercially interesting from a global scenario. The investigation revealed that the inclusion levels of the different protein sources, plant- and animal-derived, ranged from 10 to 80 % and from 2 to 100 % respectively, in partial or complete replacement of fish meal, and generated positive effects on health, welfare, growth performance, and fillet quality. However, the results showed that above a certain level of inclusion, each protein source can negatively affect fish growth performance, metabolic activities, and other biological parameters. Moreover, it is likely that by mixing different protein sources, the combination of each ingredient causes a synergistic effect on the nutritional properties. Therefore, the future of aquatic feed formulation is expected to be based on the blend of different protein sources. Overall, the analysis highlighted the need for additional research in the field of replacing fish meals with new protein sources, given that many knowledge gaps are still to be filled on aquatic species, which deserve to be investigated.
aquaculture; novel protein sources; fishmeal replacement; sustainability; fresh-water fish; salt-water fish; animal health; fish nutrition
Settore AGR/18 - Nutrizione e Alimentazione Animale
Settore VET/05 - Malattie Infettive degli Animali Domestici
Settore AGRI-09/B - Nutrizione e alimentazione animale
Settore MVET-03/A - Malattie infettive degli animali
set-2024
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/1090008
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