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Larvaceans are among the most widespread gelatinous organisms of the zooplankton and have extraordinary growth rates, on the same time scale as that of their protozoan prey. Climate change is expected to favour picoplankton and the microbial loop. Larvaceans can directly feed on the smallest plankton, leading to a competitive advantage. This 'larvacean shunt' could counteract elongated food chains that are projected for our future ocean. Larvaceans produce marine snow that might sustain carbon export in a future ocean where primary producers are smaller. Larvaceans are food for many fish and invertebrate species, indicating their importance in trophic transfer. They may be especially important to mesopelagic fish, indirectly increasing carbon sequestration due to these fishes' production of faecal pellets at depth. Larvaceans are important for repackaging particles, thereby accelerating carbon export and sequestration. Larvaceans are gelatinous zooplankton abundant throughout the ocean. Larvaceans have been overlooked in research because they are difficult to collect and are perceived as being unimportant in biogeochemical cycles and food-webs. We synthesise evidence that their unique biology enables larvaceans to transfer more carbon to higher trophic levels and deeper into the ocean than is commonly appreciated. Larvaceans could become even more important in the Anthropocene because they eat small phytoplankton that are predicted to become more prevalent under climate change, thus moderating projected future declines in ocean productivity and fisheries. We identify critical knowledge gaps and argue that larvaceans should be incorporated into ecosystem assessments and biogeochemical models to improve predictions of the future ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allergy is an abnormally extended and evolved sensitivity to specific substances, whereas asthma is constriction of the airways of the lungs due to swelling of internal walls of the airways. Dietary consumption of omega-3 and omega-6 supplementation may help in the prevention of allergies and asthma. The objective of this investigation was to assess the effectiveness of omega 3 and 6 supplementation on patients who were suffering from asthma or any allergy. A cross-sectional study on 100 patients with asthma and different types of allergies was conducted at different hospitals in Lahore. They were given a questionnaire to accumulate input about their dietary practices, understanding, and awareness. Data was analyzed by using SPSS 22.0. Results showed that 40% of patients had mild improvement in symptoms, 28% exhibited good responses, and 32% had no progress in their symptoms at all. About 27% of patients took omega 3 and 6 supplementations weekly, while 36% used to take them daily, and 37% never took the supplementation. It was concluded that most of those patients who took the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids supplementations showed mild improvement as compared to those who were not taking supplements. People taking omega 3 and 6 food sources such as fish, nuts, legumes, and meat faced fewer symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is essential for human health to maintain a diet rich in unsaturated fatty acids, particularly polyunsaturated (PUFA), composed of omega-3. Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), an important source of omega 3 long chain PUFAs, has a sizeable amount in international seafood trade because it is an abundant source of omega-3 long-chain PUFAs. Despite the fact that cooking fish to high temperatures alters its fat, protein, vitamin, and mineral content, cooked fish is preferred by consumers. The purpose of this research was to compare nutritional, physical and sensory properties of Atlantic salmon cooked in the oven, steamed and also a combination of the two cooking methods. Farmed Atlantic salmon was used to make steaks that were defrosted in the fridge the night before. Cooking methods applied were baking in the oven, steaming, and a combination of oven-baking and steaming. The results showed that the crude protein level of oven-baked salmon meat was greatest among all cooking methods. Heat treatment affected the fatty acid composition of Atlantic salmon flesh, as shown that the total saturated fatty acids of cooked fish groups were higher than those of raw salmon. It was determined that oven baking was the most effective heat treatment for maintaining all lipid characteristics of the meat, including the PUFA concentration and n-3/n-6 ratio. When EPA and DHA values of all cooking groups were compared, combination cooking group has lowest value than other cooking groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The U.S. catfish industry has adopted several production practices which embody varying degrees of economic risk. Employing commercial farm data, this study quantified the economic risks associated with six catfish food fish production strategies. Stochastic Monte Carlo simulations employing established enterprise budgets found fish yield, feed price, and feed conversion ratio contributing highly to variations in the cost of production. While multiple-batch (MB) farming of channel catfish was the least risky strategy, both MB and intensively aerated production were stochastically dominant (second-order) to low-intensity single-batch production. Split-pond and intensively aerated hybrid catfish production demonstrated consistently lower production costs and were stochastically dominant (second-order) to medium-intensity single-batch production. Multiple-batch and intensively aerated production of channel catfish were more susceptible to price (market) risk while hybrid catfish production was more susceptible to yield (production) risks. First order stochastic dominance of split-pond technology on larger farms as compared to low-intensity culture on smaller farms suggested that yield increasing intensive production practices supersede low-intensity technologies and help achieve economies of scale. Study results provide critical information on the relative risk associated with different catfish production strategies under varying economic and market conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food contaminants are closely monitored to establish food safety profiles. Previously, we used the lobster cockroach to delineate the oxidative and antioxidant activities that characterize exposure to the organometallic cation (methylmercury; MeHg) sometimes found in fish and the common cooking seasoning (NaCl and MSG). Here, we further examined the mechanism of inflammatory response to MeHg, NaCl, and MSG, in an attempt to establish the crosstalk between redox and inflammatory signaling during heavy metal exposure in food. The insects were exposed to diets contaminated with MeHg, NaCl, and MSG for 21 days. Subsequently, mRNA from head homogenate was used to quantify the expression of a member of the Nox/Duox NADPH oxidases that produce reactive oxygen species (DUOX), as well as target genes of the JNK, TOLL, and UPD3/JAK/STAT pathways. MeHg exposure deregulated redox and inflammation-related genes, including upregulated DUOX in the MeHg group, upregulated Reaper, UPD3, and SOCS36E in the MeHg + NaCl group, and downregulated Reaper in the MeHg + MSG group. Both MeHg + NaCl and MeHg + MSG exposures upregulated PVF, EGR, and REL and downregulated FOXO levels. Our results suggest a role for the activation of the Nox/Duox NADPH oxidases, alongside JNK and Rel signaling during MeHg and MSG exposure, therefore offering insights for handling heavy metal poisoning and showcasing Nauphoeta cinerea as a viable model for understanding redox and inflammatory signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of vacuum packaging (VP) on the odor of yellowtail Seriola quinqueradiata were investigated. VP, before or after primary heating, prevented the progression of lipid oxidation of the dorsal ordinary muscle (OD) and dark muscle (DM) during storage after heating. It also prevented a reduction in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Principal component analysis did not distinguish the vacuum-packed samples after storage from any samples before storage by their volatile composition, regardless of the timing of their treatment. Sensory evaluation indicates that VP, regardless of whether it is before or after primary heating, can suppress the development of the rancid odor of yellowtail meat during storage after heating and, especially for DM, can prevent the loss of palatability due to storage. These findings suggest that vacuum packaging is a valuable method for suppressing the quality deterioration of cooked fish meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All animals must acquire food to grow, but there is a vast diversity in how different species and even different individuals approach and achieve this task. Individuals within a species appear to fall along a bold‐shy continuum, whereby some fish acquire food aggressively and with seemingly high risk, while others appear more submissive and opportunistic. Greater food consumption generally results in faster growth, but only if the energy acquired through food is more than enough to compensate for heightened metabolism associated with a more active lifestyle. Fast‐growing phenotypes also tend to have elevated baseline metabolism – at least when food is plentiful – which may be linked with gut morphology and digestive efficiency. The net energy gained from a meal (as calculated from the specific dynamic action (SDA) coefficient) is optimised with larger meal sizes, but the digestion of large meals can erode the aerobic metabolic scope available for other critical activities such as predator avoidance, perhaps at an interindividual level. Thus, complex interactions between an individual's genes and environment are likely to regulate the growth phenotype. This review compiles available knowledge to shed light on the question: Why do some fish grow faster than others? We discuss the elaborate interrelationships between behaviour, physiology and the gut microbiome with a goal to better understand what drives interindividual differences in growth performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of this study were to assess concentrations of three groups of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in 44 fish oil-based food supplements, to estimate their daily intake by consumers and, to evaluate the compliance of the oil samples with the oil origin declarations (cod liver oil or fish oil). The concentrations of ∑PCBs (7 congeners), OCPs (19 compounds, represented mainly by ∑DDTs), ∑PBDEs (10 congeners), and ∑PAHs (16 compounds) found in samples ranged between 0.15–55.7 µg kg−1, 0.93–72.8 µg kg−1, 0.28–27.5 µg kg−1, and 0.32–51.9 µg kg−1, respectively. Besides, the authenticity of the oils was assessed based on the fingerprints obtained by DART–HRMS, an ambient mass spectrometry technique. Four samples declared as fish oil were probably prepared from cod liver oil, which is much cheaper. Furthermore, these samples contained elevated concentrations of halogenated POPs when compared to supplements produced from fish oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Fish is an important and cheap protein source for human consumption in developing countries. It is the second most popular source of protein diet in both rural and urban communities in Nigeria. Fisheries resources contribute about 5.40% to the nation's gross domestic product (GDP) through income generation, employment, food security, and foreign exchange earnings. Despite the significant contributions of fisheries to the Nigerian economy, the aquatic ecosystem is prone to pollution from human activities which increases the chances of transmission of parasitic infections, which are detrimental to aquatic and human life. The present study assessed the prevalence of gastrointestinal helminths of tilapia fish from different market sources in the Maiduguri metropolitan council of Borno State, Northeastern Nigeria. Samples of fresh Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fish (n= 125), comprising 50 juveniles and 75 adults, were screened for gastrointestinal helminths using standard parasitological methods. Twenty-nine (23.2%) harboured at least one helminth parasite. Of the 29 positive individual fish samples, 16% (n=20), 4% (n=5), 2.4% (n=3), and 0.8% (n=1) were infected by Acanthocephala, Cestode, Nematode, and Trematodes, respectively. The infection rate was higher in adults (26%) than juveniles (18%) and in females (23.5%) than males (22.8%). Fish samples from Baga markets showed higher infection rates than the other two market sources. Sex, age, and location were not significantly associated with parasite recovery rate (p>0.05). The study concluded that Nile tilapia fish sold in Maiduguri metropolis were infected with different groups of helminths, underscoring public health risks to farmers, sellers, and consumers. Therefore, fish farmers should regularly consult veterinarians for advice on good fish management practices and observe proper hygienic handling of harvested fish at the farm level, during transportation to fish markets, and processing. The public should thoroughly clean and properly cook fish for human consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish meat has great flavor, nutritional values, competitive lesser price. Fish meat comprises of minerals, vitamin, healthy fats, protein, and small amount carbohydrates, these constituents make the fish a good healthy diet and fish meat can be easily digested also. The demand for fish for human consumption is increasing. Fisheries and aquaculture play an important role in the improving human nutrition and food security. Fishes have more nutrition than plant-based food. Fishes are also more efficient from other animal food sources in converting food into nutritious food. Fish contributes important and healthy part of the human diet which contains good amount of protein, fats, vitamins and minerals, etc. Fish has a lot of food potential; therefore, fish can be used to overcome malnutrition in developing countries especially. Proximate composition is being utilized as an indicator for the quality of fish. Clarias batrachus (Linnaeus, 1758) the Asian catfish commonly known as walking catfish is a highly valued endemic to India which is now in severe decline in the majority of its natural habitat. Clarias batrachus is one of the important local food fish, this fish has been used in traditional medicine also. It possesses therapeutic significance and its demand is high, especially in North East India. Clarias batrachus contains high protein, vitamins and minerals and it is a rich source of poly unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid growth of the aquaculture production since the 1980s, there has been a concomitant increase in disease outbreaks. The injudicious and/or incorrect use of antimicrobial agents against diseases of farmed aquatic species poses a considerable threat to the development and growth of a successful and sustainable aquaculture industry. An increase in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an important consequence, resulting to the difficulty in treating common bacterial diseases in populations of aquatic organisms, combined with the presence of antibiotic residues in food fish and their products, leading to import refusals and negative impacts on international trade. To reduce the frequency of AMR, good aquaculture and effective biosecurity practices should include the prudent and responsible use of antibiotics and also consider the use of alternatives to antibiotics, in addition to disease prevention management. This article reviews the literature discussing the scope of the problem pertaining to antibiotic use, the emergence of AMR in aquaculture and to consider and discuss viable alternatives (e.g., vaccination, bacteriophages, quorum quenching, probiotics and prebiotics, chicken egg yolk antibody and medicinal plant derivative). We also discuss lessons learnt, from specific case studies such as the vaccination of farmed salmon in Norway and the use of 'specific pathogen‐free' seed—as primary and essential part of a biosecurity strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Benguela upwelling system (BUS) is one of the world's most productive ecosystems, supporting globally relevant fisheries. The BUS marine community is modulated by the availability of nutrients and omega‐3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (hereafter, LC omega‐3). Phytoplankton growth in the BUS can be supported by upwelled nitrate, a new nitrogen (N) source to the surface, or by recycled N such as ammonium. Preferential assimilation of one N source over another may yield differences in LC omega‐3 production between high and low food‐quality species. To evaluate how upwelling and the N source(s) consumed by phytoplankton influence LC omega‐3 production, we sampled a BUS anchor station daily for 10 days. Upwelling on days 5–7 supplied high concentrations of nutrients to the surface, while pre‐ and post‐upwelling, surface waters were stratified and nutrient concentrations were low. LC omega‐3 and phytoplankton concentrations were near‐zero during upwelling, and elevated pre‐ and post‐upwelling. Throughout our sampling, nanoplankton (2.7–10 µm) dominated primary production (30–95%), relying mainly on nitrate to support their growth. Surface LC omega‐3 concentrations reached peaks of 215 and 175 µg L−1 pre‐ and post‐upwelling, up to 10 times higher than previous measurements from the BUS (<5 µg L−1). Pre‐upwelling, non‐diatom trophic markers (18:1n − 9, 18:4n − 3, 18:5n − 3) were dominant, with a switch over just two days to diatom trophic markers post‐upwelling (16:1n − 7, 16:2n − 4, 16:2n − 7, 16:3n − 4, 16:4n − 1). This study reveals the key role of upwelling in promoting phytoplankton LC omega‐3 production, which is tightly coupled to the supply of new nitrate. Additionally, the high observed LC omega‐3 concentrations suggest that global LC omega‐3 production is underestimated. Plain Language Summary: Omega‐3 are lipids found in foods such as fish that are extremely important for human health. However, humans and most animals cannot produce omega‐3 in sufficient quantities to satisfy their health requirements and must thus acquire them through their diet. In the ocean, the main source of omega‐3 is phytoplankton, with different species producing different quantities and kinds of omega‐3. Phytoplankton growth also depends on the availability of nutrients, including nitrogen (N). Dominant assimilation of a new N source such as upwelled nitrate versus a recycled N source such as ammonium typically leads to the proliferation of different phytoplankton communities, which may also produce different amounts of omega‐3. This study evaluates how upwelling, and the N source(s) used by phytoplankton, influence omega‐3 production. During a 10‐day investigation conducted off the west coast of South Africa, we found that upwelling promoted phytoplankton omega‐3 production and that the community relied mainly on upwelled nitrate. Additionally, community composition changed rapidly during the study in response to upwelling, which was reflected in the amount and kind of omega‐3 produced. We observed quantities of omega‐3 that were 10 times higher than previous measurements from the region, suggesting that global omega‐3 production may be underestimated. Key Points: Upwelling promoted phytoplankton long chain omega‐3 production which was tightly coupled to the introduction of new nitrate during upwellingPre‐upwelling, non‐diatom trophic markers were dominant, with a rapid switch over just 2 days to diatom trophic markers post‐upwellingLong chain omega‐3 concentrations were 10 times higher than previous records suggesting that their global production has been underestimated [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]