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This review paper provides an in‐depth analysis of the current status, challenges, and strategies for improvement within the fish feed industry in East Africa, focusing on Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda. Aquaculture production in these countries is experiencing steady growth, driven by increasing demand for fish and fish products for both nutritional and economic purposes. Despite the market facilitating the transition from extensive to semi‐intensive and moderately intensive farming systems across the four countries, the sector's progress is hampered by a lack of sustainable, locally produced, high‐quality, and cost‐effective fish feeds tailored to different developmental stages of fish. Despite the evident need, there is a notable scarcity of comprehensive reviews addressing the regional perspective of fish feed due to heightened cross‐border trade driven by the soaring demand and increased installation of cages in Lake Victoria, as well as in inland dams and reservoirs. This paper addresses critical challenges, such as regional scarcity and limited access to quality feed ingredients, regulatory obstacles, insufficient quality control measures, infrastructure constraints, and a lack of awareness and understanding of feed management and formulation. To overcome these challenges, the paper recommends fostering collaboration to establish a robust regional fish feed supply chain, investing in research and development initiatives, advocating for policy reforms and regulatory support, and compliance with East African Community quality standards for fish feed. Moreover, there is an urgent need to enhance human resource capacity through training and extension services, promote public investment support, strengthen sector institutions and industry associations, conduct training and awareness programs for feed providers, and improve storage facilities to maintain feed quality. The paper provides policymakers with valuable insights to inform targeted interventions that will catalyze positive transformation within the fish feed industry in East Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The total substitution of fishmeal (FM) and fish oil (FO) with sustainable feed ingredients, while maintaining acceptable growth performances and fish composition, is a challenge. Mussels have a high protein content, with essential amino acid and fatty acid (FA) profiles similar to those of FM. This study aimed to assess the potential to rear gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) on a plant-based feed (without FM and FO) to which mussels were added. Subsequent effects on growth performance, protein content, and FA concentrations were studied. Juvenile gilthead seabream were reared for 46 days in water temperature of 21°C, in a recirculated aquaculture system composed of three fish tanks, each corresponding to one treatment: in the FMFO treatment, 342 fish were fed a commercial feed that contained FM and FO; in the plant-based feed (PBF) treatment, 345 fish were fed an experimental feed that contained only plant-based ingredients; in the mussel feed (MF) treatment, 342 fish were fed the feed from PBF supplemented with fresh mussel flesh from which the shells had been removed. Fish weighed a mean of 6.7 ± 1.3 g at stocking in each treatment. At harvest, the mean weight of fish from FMFO and MF were significantly different (23.1 ± 4.3 and 23.1 ± 5.2 g, respectively) than that from PBF (15.5 ± 3.6 g) (p < .05). Compared to the feed from FMFO, the feed from PBF decreased the percentages of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and saturated FA (14:0, 16:0) in fish, but increased those of 18:1, 18:2 n-6 and 18:3 n-3 FA. Compared to the feed from PBF, the feed from MF increased the EPA+DHA concentration in fish by 21%. Thus, adding fresh mussels to a plant-based feed yielded similar growth performances and survival rate as a commercial feed. It also improved the FA composition of fish compared to that of fish fed a plant-based feed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tilapia and lettuce are the most frequently used combination among aquaponics producers, hobbyists, and educators. Therefore, this literature review aims to aggregate the knowledge on the current status of tilapia/lettuce production and identify research gaps. Among the 40 reviewed publications, 72.5% used Nile tilapia, 17.5% used red, 2.5% used red Mozambique, 5% used rocky mountain strain, and 5% of the articles stated that they used tilapia without reporting the species. Tilapia initial density used ranged from 0.34 to 28.4 kg/m3, which depended on the purpose of the study, experimental size, and design. For the hydroponic unit, 55% of the publications utilized deep water culture (DWC), 35% utilized nutrient film technique (NFT), and 10% utilized media bed (MB). The optimum ratio between fish feeding rate and plant growing area (60 g of feed/day/m2) was originally calculated at the University of Virgin Island and published in 1988 using Bibb lettuce. This recommended ratio has been used by farmers and researchers as a rule of thumb for years. However, this recommended ratio did not take into account other factors such as fish species, protein content of the diet, plant species/variety, plant density, biological filtration, and airflow in the grow bed. Hence, the current review suggests that the fish‐to‐plant ratio, fish density, and flow rate in the aquaponic systems needs to be reevaluated. As there is a thermal preference mismatch between tilapia and lettuce, there is a need to evaluate the optimum temperature for both to obtain the highest growth performance. Nowadays, it is believed that the farmed stocks' genetic quality needs to be regularly enhanced and protected. Consequently, feeding frequency, feeding amount, and stocking densities in aquaponic systems should be continuously reevaluated with the improved strains of tilapia as well as heat‐tolerant varieties of lettuce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been an increase in the industrial processing of shrimp, aiming to cover the increasing demand for shrimp products for human consumption, and, consequently, an increase in shrimp by-products as shrimp waste. This waste includes the cephalothoraxes, heads, shells, tails, pleopods, and exoskeleton appendages of processed shrimps. The appropriate method for the enzymatic hydrolysis of shrimp waste can recover its bioactive substances, including carotenoids. Thus, these xanthophylls and carotenes are of high financial interest and have high antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer activities. Therefore, these substances can be incorporated into fish feed as ingredients that improve fish health and simultaneously lead to the production of aquaculture fishes similar in coloration to the wild ones. Thus, the consumption of such novel food acts as a preventive factor for human health. In this regard, β-carotene has antioxidant and fat-soluble activities owing to vitamin A sufficiency and has an anti-cancer effect, too. Canthaxanthin can be used as a product for personal care and as a natural tanning agent for human skin. Zeaxanthin and lutein have positive effects on various eye and heart diseases, neuronal damage, human skin diseases, and certain types of cancer. Astaxanthin also has anti-diabetic and anti-obesity properties. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to highlight the sustainable utilization of shrimp waste via enzymatic hydrolysis, the benefits of a fish diet enriched with astaxanthin, the consumption of fish enriched with carotenoids, and the effects of carotenoids on human health. The problem of shrimp waste disposal affects the environment, does not contribute to sustainable development, and is directly related to the phenomenon of environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The circular bioeconomy concept revolves around biological production cycles that reintroduce products or waste from one production system to another, aiming to maximize resource utilization while minimising environmental impact. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the element flow when integrating black soldier fly larvae (BSF) production with Nile tilapia production using varying experimental fish feed. Methods: Tilapia (42.5 ± 11.2 g) were reared in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) at 25.5°C for 10 weeks and fed equal daily rations of four experimental diets containing fishmeal (FM), poultry blood meal (PBM), black soldier fly meal (BSF) and poultry by-product meal (PM) as the single main protein source, respectively. Faeces was collected daily from settling columns installed in the RAS and subsequently fed to BSF larvae. Results and discussion: The fish exhibited the highest biomass gain when fed with FM (1,001 g) or PM (901 g). The growth was lowest for those fed with PBM (406 g). The fish fed with PBM also produced the highest amount of faeces (234 g). When the fish faeces were utilized as a substrate for rearing black soldier fly (BSF) larvae and although the biomass gain did not differ significantly, the feed conversion ratio (FCR) varied among larvae fed with different fish faeces, ranging from 8.36 to 25.04. Furthermore, the concentration of analysed elements (Al, B, Ca, Co, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, P, S, and Zn) varied based on the type of fish faeces provided. Results illustrate that a modulation of BSFL elemental composition is possible through manipulating the feed provided to the fish and emphasize the importance of fish feed composition for fish performance as well as the compositional quality of the larvae reared on the resulting fish faeces. Hence, if BSF larvae production is to be harnessed for the recycling of aquaculture sludge, ingredient choice and subsequent elemental composition of fish feeds are pivotal to larvae composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to statistically optimize the phytase production by Penicillium oxalicum PBG30 in solid-state fermentation using wheat bran as substrate. Variables viz. pH, incubation days, MgSO4, and Tween-80 were the significant parameters identified through the Plackett-Burman design (PBD) that majorly influenced the phytase production. Further, central composite design (CCD) method of response surface methodology (RSM) defined the optimum values for these factors i.e., pH 7.0, 5 days of incubation, 0.75% of MgSO4, and 3.5% of Tween-80 that leads to maximum phytase production of 475.42 U/g DMR. Phytase production was also sustainable in flasks and trays of different sizes with phytase levels ranging from 394.95 to 475.42 U/g DMR. Enhancement in phytase production is 5.6-fold as compared to unoptimized conditions. The in-vitro dephytinization of feed showed an amelioration in the nutritive value by releasing inorganic phosphate and other nutrients in a time-dependent manner. The highest amount of inorganic phosphate (33.986 mg/g feed), reducing sugar (134.4 mg/g feed), and soluble protein (115.52 mg/g feed) was achieved at 37 °C with 200 U of phytase in 0.5 g feed for 48 h. This study reports the economical and large-scale production of phytase with applicability in enhancing feed nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study has established a method for the simultaneous determination of diazepam and its metabolites in fish feed and bait using dispersive solid-phase extraction (QuEChERS) coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). Samples were extracted with ethyl acetate, and the extract was purified with 50 mg of C18 and PSA solid-phase extraction. The extract was concentrated to near dryness under nitrogen at 40 ℃, reconstituted in 1.0 mL of 80% acetonitrile, filtered, and then analyzed using the HPLC-MS/MS method. The target compounds were separated using a Phenomenex Kinetex C18 series chromatographic column (100 mm × 2.1 mm, 2.6 μm) with a gradient elution of 0.1% volume ratio aqueous formic acid and acetonitrile as the mobile phase. Detection was performed in electrospray ionization (ESI+) and selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode, with a matrix-matched internal standard method for qualitative and quantitative analysis. The results showed that the method had a good linear relationship in the range of 0.5~50.0 μg/kg, with correlation coefficients all greater than 0.999, and the limits of detection and quantification were 0.5 μg/kg and 1.0 μg/kg, respectively. At three different spiking levels, the average recovery rates for diazepam and its metabolites were 82.3%~109.4%, with relative standard deviations of 3.62%~6.33%. The study indicates that this method is rapid, accurate, and highly sensitive, capable of meeting the detection requirements for residues of diazepam and its metabolites in fish feed and bait. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present experiment was conducted during March--May 2022 at ICAR--CIFE, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India to develop a unique fish feed from locally available vegetable, and fish processing waste. These two sources of the waste were used in composite bio-silage (CBS) production by combining fish (80%)--vegetable (20%) waste with probiotic proteolytic strain (E. faecalis+L. acidophilus) and jaggery (15% Jaggery) as a carbon source. The final CBS materials were used in experimental fish feed preparation by replacing fish meal (FM) protein. Changes in physicochemical, and microbiological quality characteristics of fish feed were measured every 15th day at room temperature (25--30°C). There was no change in color, the appearance of a moderately bad odour, a little bit of soft texture, and broken pellets were found in the later stages of the storage. Crude protein (38.50--36.10%) and fat (8.60--4.82%) content were decreased whereas, moisture content increased (9.15--11.10%) in all samples during the storage period. There were no notable changes in ash or crude fiber. Lipid oxidation product TBARs (8.0--13.205 MDA; nmol mg-1), Total Plate Count (2.75--6.70 log cfu g-1), and Fungal Count (1--2.50 log cfu g-1) were within acceptable range. The study's findings indicated that composite bio-silage incorporated fish feed has a shelf life of up to 60th days and can be fed during this period. The study also suggested that manufactured fish feed should not be stored for more than two months, either in the place of production or at the farmer's store. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objective: The pleated sea squirt Styela plicata (subphylum Tunicata), an invasive marine invertebrate in coastal waters of southeastern North Carolina, was investigated as an alternative protein source to fish meal (FM) in the diet of juvenile Black Sea Bass Centropristis striata. Methods: Six different isoproteic and isolipidic diets were formulated to replace 0.0, 8.3, 16.7, 25.0, 33.3, and 41.6% of FM protein with tunicate meal (TM) protein by supplementing 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25% TM in the diets. The experimental system consisted of eighteen 75‐L tanks supported by a recirculating seawater system in an indoor, climate‐controlled laboratory. Juveniles (average weight = 7.1 g) were stocked at a density of 15 fish/tank (N = 3 tanks/treatment) and were fed the test diets daily to apparent satiation for 55 days. Result: Replacement of FM protein with TM protein caused slight declines in dietary amino acid concentrations (notably arginine, methionine, and tryptophan) at higher replacement levels. At terminal sampling, no significant differences in survival (87–96%), percent body weight gain (157–228%), feed conversion ratio (1.50–1.71), or proximate composition were observed among dietary treatment groups. However, significant positive linear trends were found between incremental levels of TM and final fish weight, body weight gain, and specific growth rate. Whole‐body fatty acid composition reflected dietary levels. Conclusion: Results indicate that TM protein can be used to replace at least 41.6% of the FM protein in the diet for juvenile Black Sea Bass without adverse effects on survival, growth, feed utilization, or whole‐body proximate composition. Impact statementSea squirts (subphylum Tunicata) are suspension‐feeding marine invertebrates. They foul shellfish cages, lines, and the shellfish directly, thus increasing the resource competition experienced by the shellfish. The use of tunicates in aquaculture feed is a possible way to reduce reliance on expensive and unsustainable fish meal protein in aquafeeds. The use of tunicate meal in aquafeeds could be another new cost‐effective alternative protein source with which to develop sustainable feed for aquaculture while reducing the fouling problem in marine shellfish aquaculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In aquaculture studies, Spirulina can be used to replace fish meal in aquafeed to lower the cost of producing fish feed while adding therapeutic and health benefits. Proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, pigments, and fatty acids from Spirulina could enhance the cellular and humoral immunities of a variety of fish species. This review focuses on the functions of various Spirulina components that play a role in haematopoiesis, haemato-biochemical variables, pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine production, stress prevention, disease resistance, and immune responses in a variety of finfish species. Herein, we also presented the overlooked areas on the functionality of Spirulina on the immune response pathway and connected the missing link with the help of a better knowledge of the mammalian system, albeit these must be proved experimentally. This review will inspire the scientific community to investigate the biological role of Spirulina in fish, which is critical to the commercial viability of Spirulina as fish feed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oreochromis niloticus a Nile tilapia fish is widely used for fish culture practice in many countries for its easy acclimatization and high yield at a short pace of time. Selenium‐chitosan (SeCh) nanoparticles are efficiently used in agriculture, medicine, and aquaculture practices in several studies. The significant approach of Selenium‐Chitosan incorporated fish feed will be evaluated in the present study to achieve the better aquaculture practice in future. In the present study, SeCh nanoparticle was chemically synthesized and incorporated with formulated fish feed. Selenium formulated fish feed contains 31.49 g of carbohydrates and 41.52 g of proteins. SeCh‐fed O. niloticus fingerlings exhibited significantly increased specific growth rates in terms of weight gain, and feed conversion ratio. Chemical characterization of SeChNPs through FTIR spectroscopy indicates the presence of an adjuvant combination of selenium and chitosan presence through functional groups of COO stretch, CH, CC, and CN stretch representing at 3226, 2878, and 1734 cm−1, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and EDX analysis revealed the structural properties of SeChNPs as a fibrous pattern that contains Carbon, Oxygen, and Selenium elements as predominant peak values. SeChNPs incorporated fish feed has higher protein content which is a standard hallmark for a fish feed and an essential prerequisite for fish growth. The formulated SeCh fish feed in the present study is an innovative approach which can be taken further for higher level testing and processing for developing as a better fish feed in terms of feasible and efficient fish growth enhancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amomum tsao‐ko Crevost et Lemarie (Zingiberaceae), an aromatic plant, has been considered to have diverse medicinal values and economic significance. It has been reported to possess antibacterial, antioxidant, and antidiabetic effects. With the increasing risk of diseases in aquaculture, there is a need for alternative solutions to chemical antibiotics. Plant extracts have shown promise as natural feed additives for aquatic animals. In this study, the antibacterial effect of Amomum tsao‐ko crude extracts was evaluated using the Oxford cup method. The extracts exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella enteritidis. Furthermore, the addition of Amomum tsao‐ko to fish feed resulted in notable changes in the gut structure of zebrafish and tilapia. The length and morphology of intestinal villi were enhanced, promoting improved digestion. Analysis of the gut microbial community revealed that Amomum tsao‐ko supplementation induced key changes in the gut microbial community composition of both zebrafish and tilapia. Notably, a 1% inclusion of Amomum tsao‐ko resulted in a marked rise in Proteobacteria levels in zebrafish, which diminished at 10% dosage. The supplement elicited mixed reactions among other bacterial phyla like Actinobacteria and Verrucomicrobiota. Fluctuations were also observed at the genus level, pointing to the concentration of Amomum tsao‐ko playing a pivotal role in influencing the structure of intestinal bacteria. The findings of this study suggest that Amomum tsao‐ko has antibacterial properties and can positively influence the gut health of fish. The potential use of Amomum tsao‐ko as a natural feed additive holds promise for improving aquaculture practices and reducing reliance on chemical antibiotics. Further research is needed to explore the full potential and applications of Amomum tsao‐ko in fish feed development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

اتجهت مصر في الآونة الأخيرة إلى التوسع في إنشاء مشروعات الاستزراع السمكى بهدف زيادة إنتاج الأسماك وتحقيق الاكتفاء الذاتى منها ومواجهة احتياجات السكان الغذائية المتزايدة من البروتين الحيوانى. وتكمن أهمية الدراسة في أن الاستزراع السمكى الحكومى وإنشاء المزارع السمكية الحكومية سينتج عنه فوائد اقتصادية وبيئية واجتماعية ستسهم في تنمية المناطق غير المستغلة وهوامش المحافظات وستحولها إلى مناطق غنية إيكولوجيًا. ويهدف البحث إلى التعرف على تطور المزارع السمكية الحكومية في مصر ، ورسم خريطة واقعية حديثة للتوزيع الجغرافي للمزارع السمكية الحكومية وتحديد إنتاجها ومقوماتها بالتطبيق على مزرعة برسيق الحكومية للاستزراع السمكى بمركز أبو حمص فى محافظة البحير ، وكذلك الوقوف على العوامل المؤثرة في توطن مزرعة برسيق السمكية ومصنع أعلافها ، وأخيرًا تحديد المشكلات الإدارية والفنية والإنتاجية والمالية والتسويقية التى تواجه المزارع السمكية الحكومية ومحاولة إيجاد بعض الحلول المناسبة لها. وأبرزت الدراسة مجموعة من النتائج تمثل أهمها في أن المزارع السمكية الحكومية زاد عددها ومساحتها وكمية الأسماك بها بأنواعها المختلفة ، وكذلك لديها إمكانات ومقومات كبيرة ومساحات واسعة يمكن استغلالها ومصانع أعلاف يتميز إنتاجها بالجودة العالية والأسعار المعقولة . وأخيرًا أوصت الدراسة ببعض الحلول للمشكلات التى تواجه المزارع السمكية الحكومية من النواحى الإنتاجية والتسويقية والإدارية.AbstractEgypt has recently moved to expand the establishment of fish farming projects with the aim of increasing fish production, achieving self-sufficiency in it, and meeting the population’s increasing nutritional needs for animal protein. The significance of the study lies in the fact that governmental fish farming and the establishment of governmental fish farms will bring about economic, environmental and social benefits that will contribute to the development of unexploited areas and the peripheral districts of the governorates and transform them into ecologically rich areas.The present research aims at identifying the development of government fish farms in Egypt, drawing a modern realistic map of the geographical distribution of governmental fish farms, and determining their production and resources with application to the Barseeq government fish farm at Abu Homs, Beheira Governorate. It also aims at identifying the factors affecting the settlement of Barseeq fish farm and its feed factory. Finally, the present research aims at identifying the administrative, technical, productive, financial, and marketing problems facing governmental fish farms and trying to find some appropriate solutions to them.The study came up with some findings, the most important of which is that governmental fish farms have increased in number, area, and quantity of fish of various types. They also have great capabilities and resources, large areas that can be exploited, and feed factories whose production is characterized by high quality and reasonable prices. Finally, the study recommended some solutions to the problems facing governmental fish farms in terms of production, marketing and administrative aspects.

The present investigation is designed for the characterization and application of phytase from Aspergillus tubingensis by solid state and submerged fermentation techniques practice. Different parameters such as carbon source, nitrogen source, pH, mineral concentration, temperature, inoculum size, and inducer concentration were employed for the optimization of phytase and the maximum production was recorded in optimum condition. Afterwards, it was carried out for purification process by column chromatography using Sepharose gel extraction. Then, the enzyme was blended with fish feed at varying concentrations and their results showed that the phytase acted as an important growth factor for the growth improvement of fish. It was concluded that the phytase from fungal origin has played an important role to stimulate the fish growth without any side effects or any other complications. Hence, the upcoming research works should focus on the improvement of fish feed production with high quality achieved by low cost to increase our economic value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hunger affected 278 million people in Africa in 2021, and in Kenya, the proportion of the population unable to afford a healthy diet is 81%. To combat hunger and increase resilience throughout the food system, spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) has been shown to have remarkable properties. The main aim of this study is to investigate whether protein from spirulina is a suitable alternative to protein sourced from fish meal in fish feed for juvenile Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). In a trial investigating the use of spirulina biomass for fish feed on juvenile Nile tilapia, it has been proven that tilapia fingerlings fed diets with spirulina, replacing up to 30% of fish meal protein, were not affected in terms of growth performance compared to the fish fed the commercial diet. This shows that, nutritionally, protein from spirulina can replace fish meal protein fed to juvenile Nile tilapia. This offers promising opportunities for enhanced food and nutrition security. If produced affordably, spirulina can have a significant impact on the income level of low-income fish farmers in Kenya, who often spend more than 50% of their income on commercial fish feed. Affordability can be made possible if small-scale farmers can produce spirulina using animal manure that is available on the farm instead of using highly priced commercial fertilizer. The additional environmental benefits of spirulina include carbon dioxide sequestration and the removal of nitrogenous and phosphorous waste from the wastewater. Spirulina can therefore increase the sustainability of a whole food system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionThe circular bioeconomy concept revolves around biological production cycles that reintroduce products or waste from one production system to another, aiming to maximize resource utilization while minimising environmental impact. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the element flow when integrating black soldier fly larvae (BSF) production with Nile tilapia production using varying experimental fish feed.MethodsTilapia (42.5 ± 11.2 g) were reared in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) at 25.5°C for 10 weeks and fed equal daily rations of four experimental diets containing fishmeal (FM), poultry blood meal (PBM), black soldier fly meal (BSF) and poultry by-product meal (PM) as the single main protein source, respectively. Faeces was collected daily from settling columns installed in the RAS and subsequently fed to BSF larvae.Results and discussionThe fish exhibited the highest biomass gain when fed with FM (1,001 g) or PM (901 g). The growth was lowest for those fed with PBM (406 g). The fish fed with PBM also produced the highest amount of faeces (234 g). When the fish faeces were utilized as a substrate for rearing black soldier fly (BSF) larvae and although the biomass gain did not differ significantly, the feed conversion ratio (FCR) varied among larvae fed with different fish faeces, ranging from 8.36 to 25.04. Furthermore, the concentration of analysed elements (Al, B, Ca, Co, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, P, S, and Zn) varied based on the type of fish faeces provided. Results illustrate that a modulation of BSFL elemental composition is possible through manipulating the feed provided to the fish and emphasize the importance of fish feed composition for fish performance as well as the compositional quality of the larvae reared on the resulting fish faeces. Hence, if BSF larvae production is to be harnessed for the recycling of aquaculture sludge, ingredient choice and subsequent elemental composition of fish feeds are pivotal to larvae composition.

The performance of Colossoma macropomum subjected to a six-month feeding trial using duckweed (Lemna minor) and fish visceral as partial replacements for soybean meal and fishmeal respectively was evaluated in this study. A total of one thousand five hundred (1500) nearly same sizes (average size 45 g) juveniles of C. macropomum were sourced from the nearby research man-made lake and subjected to proper acclimatisation for two weeks prior to the commencement of the feeding trial. One hundred (100) juveniles per experimental pond (EP) were stocked in triplicate with EPi-iii0% (control), EPi-iii25%, EPi-iii50%, EPi-iii75%, and EPi-iii100%. The formulated diets with varying dietary inclusion levels (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) of duckweed as a substitute for soybean meal, and at the same levels, fish visceral meal was used as a substitute for fishmeal. The formulated diets were fed to the experimental fishes on a twice-daily schedule (7 am and 5:30 pm). The control diet contained the conventional protein sources (fishmeal and soybean) while the other diets had fish visceral and duckweed as dietary replacements for fishmeal and soybean, respectively. A biweekly sampling of growth parameters such as body weight was carried out on twenty (20) randomly selected juveniles from each EP and data collected from the feeding trial was subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) (SPSS version 26) while Duncan's multiple ranges test distinguished the means at p < 0.05 significant level. The highest value for mean body weight gain at 6 months was observed at a 50% dietary inclusion level of the test ingredients (1411.7 g), while at a 100% inclusion level, the lowest value was recorded (1213.6 g). Water quality parameters sampled were within the acceptable standards indicating no adverse effect of the test ingredients on the culture medium. In general, no adverse effect was recorded across treatments. Conclusively, C. macropomum culture in Nigeria using the test diets at a 50% dietary inclusion level to replace the conventional protein sources is feasible and can help improve fish availability and sustainability through species diversification and reduced production cost since the test ingredients are obtained at minimal cost from fish traders (fish visceral) and fallow earthen ponds (duckweed).

The aim of this research was to analyse the levels of toxic heavy metals (Mercury, Lead and Cadmium) and a toxic metalloid (Arsenic) in fish feed and animal feed from Bosnia and Herzegovina for the period from 2013 to 2018. Data from the National Veterinary Inspection Sector were provided for this study (n=438). The mean levels of As, Hg, Pb and Cd in all fish feed samples were 0.90±0.50 mg/kg, 0.02±0.05 mg/kg, 0.42±0.70 mg/kg and 0.16±0.11 mg/kg, respectively. During 2013-2018, the mean levels of As, Hg, Pb and Cd in animal feed (other complete feed) were 0.42±1.22 mg/kg, 0.01±0.02 mg/kg, 0.75±2.18 mg/kg and 0.10±0.12 mg/kg, respectively. In animal feeds sampled between 2013-2018, mean annual Pb levels increased the most among the four elements studied. In contrast, mean annual As, Hg and Cd levels in animal feeds continuously decreased during the study period. The mean annual Pb level in fish feed decreased, but continuous increases were observed in mean annual Hg and Cd levels during the study. The results show that the levels of toxic elements in fish feed and animal feed require attention and deserve a high priority monitoring program, as most feeds complied with the regulated maximum allowed concentrations of As, Hg, Pb and Cd in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in the European Union, but some did not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for sustainable and efficient protein sources in aquaculture has led to an increasing interest in exploring alternative feeds for fish. In recent years, insects have emerged as a promising option due to their nutritional value, economic viability, and potential to alleviate the environmental impact of traditional fish meals. This review critically examines the existing literature on the effect of insect feed on fish growth. Through a comprehensive analysis of relevant studies, we evaluate the performance of fish fed with insect-based diets compared to those fed with conventional feeds. The review encompasses various insect species, feed formulations, and fish species, providing insights into the factors influencing growth outcomes. Our findings highlight the potential benefits and challenges of incorporating insect-based feeds in fish farming practices, with implications for sustainable aquaculture and food security. By synthesizing current knowledge, this review aims to guide future research and decision-making processes for optimizing fish nutrition and production while promoting ecological sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research study explores the effects of Tribulus terrestris on the testicular enzyme activities in Poecilia sphenops, (a fish species) with the aim of reproductive manipulation. The study entails incorporating the plant extract into preprepared fish feed, which is then administered to the fish. A comprehensive phytochemical and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis was conducted to quantitatively analyze the phytochemical composition in the Tribulus Terrestris extract. The fish feed was prepared using various concentrations of Tribulus terrestris and provided for Poecilia sphenops. The fish were observed and analyzed for three months. The fish's growth performance and body composition were assessed. Subsequently, the testis and liver were individually homogenized and subjected to centrifugation to obtain enzyme extracts for analysis. The testicular enzyme activities of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH), acid phosphatases (ACP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were evaluated as markers for variations in testicular function, cellular stress and energy metabolism. The study determined that the incorporation of different concentrations of Tribulus terrestris into the feed improved the rate of growth, overall health and reproductive success of Poecilia sphenops. The findings provide helpful insights into the potential influence of Tribulus terrestris on the reproductive behaviors of fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study is aimed to investigate the fungal contaminants in fish feed. Isolation of fungi was conducted on modified Dichloran 18% glycerol agar (DG18) and potato dextrose agar (PDA). Feed samples were assayed for aflatoxins using HPLC. A total of 43 species belonging to 19 fungal genera recovered from 45 fish feed samples. Aspergillus and Penicillium were the most predominant genera with isolation frequency values indicated the retrieval capability of DG18 over PDA medium. For instance, Aspergillus spp. recorded 60%, 53.3% while Penicillium spp. were 33.3%, 17.8% on DG18 and PDA respectively via direct plating. 41.4% of the tested isolates were mycotoxin producers. Aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 were detected by 6 out of 10 screened Aspergillus isolates. Fumitremorgins, Gliotoxin, Ochratoxin A and B, and Zearalenone were also detected. The feed samples of zero total count percentages (TC%) of A. flavus recorded the highest incidence of aflatoxins B2, G1 and G2 (2.3, 35.3 and 7.8 ng/g respectively). Meanwhile, the highest B1 concentration (3.7 ng/g) was recorded for the highest TC% interval studied (1:9 cfu/g). Thus, it is important to monitor the fungal load and mycotoxins in fish feed periodically using proper practical approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metals are known for their toxic effects and lead to serious health problems. Fish is widely consumed, and the fish industry is rapidly growing. Heavy metals can accumulate in different parts of the fish from water, feed or sediment and can be further transferred to human consumers. The objective of the current study was to determine the concentrations of Cd and Pb in farmed fish tissues and fish feed. Fish tissues (head and fins, muscle and gills) in addition to feed samples were collected from two fish farms in Khartoum State. The levels of Cd and Pb were measured in the samples using Atomic Absorbance technique. Cd and Pb were detected in all samples examined, but their levels were below the acceptable limits set by FAO/WHO and EU. The muscle tissue was found to have the lowest concentration of both minerals (Cd 0.0092±0.001mg/g and Pb 0.203 ± 0.01 mg/g respectively) and the highest concentration was found in the fins (Cd 0.017± 0.001 and Pb 0.263 ± 0.011 mg/g respectively). The levels in the feed were also found to be below the acceptable limits. Cd and Pb were detected in all samples studied, although the levels were below acceptable limits. Albeit that, the continuous and regular measurement is important to determine any potential sources that can increase their levels which further can affect the health of fish and humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study is motivated by the need to address the environmental issues related to dairy and ethanol plant wastewaters and to generate valuable products, including mycoprotein and bioenergy, through a novel three-phase fungi-based biorefinery. In the initial phase of the biorefining process, the cultivation conditions of Aspergillus oryzae were optimized. The objective was to maximize mycoprotein production using wastewater as a resource. The effluent generated during the first phase of the biorefinery underwent the second phase, where it was subjected to cultivation with Neurospora intermedia. In the third phase, the effluent obtained from the fungal growth underwent anaerobic digestion as a final treatment step, producing 306 NmL methane/g VS. This three-phase biorefinery contributed to a remarkable reduction in the chemical oxygen demand level of the wastewater by 56.8%, 11.6%, and 28.1% in each respective phase. Overall, the three-phase biorefinery process yielded promising results, generating 17.8 kg of mycoprotein and 5.0 Nm3 of biomethane per cubic meter of wastewater. The mycoprotein obtained through this process contains noteworthy quantities of essential amino acids, fatty acids, and minerals. These characteristics open up opportunities for substituting conventional feed in aquaculture with the produced mycoprotein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this systematic review was to identify and classify, from the available literature, non-conventional feed ingredients from terrestrial plants, animals, algae, and fungi which have been evaluated for their potential use for tilapia (Oreochromis spp.) production. For this purpose, 795 papers published in the Scopus and Web of Science databases between 2011 and 2021 were analyzed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology. Data on the growth rate (GR) and effects on weight gain (WG), specific growth rate (SGR) and feed conversion ratio (FCR); digestibility; fatty acid profile (FAP) of the fish carcass; and the survival rate (SR) were compiled in databases and summary tables. The results were refined according to different criteria, obtaining 144 documents that were pertinent for an in-depth analysis. From those, we found that 50.7% evaluated terrestrial plants, 22.2% animals, 13.9% algae, 9% fungi, and the remaining, combinations of some of the above categories. From the summarized results we concluded that most of the non-conventional sources analyzed have a positive potential impact as alternatives for producing tilapia. Survival was the most evaluated parameter, while digestibility was the least evaluated parameter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Puntius schawanefeldii is one of common fish in the Koto Panjang Dam. This fish commonly present around the floating cage culture area. Small P. schawanefeldii sometimes enter the culture cages and become trapped in the cages as they grew up. Farmers used to remove the trapped fish and put them in the cage around the cage culture area. The net caged P. schawanefeldii were not given any food, but they were able to grow. To understand the feed consumed by the caged fish and compare it with the free living fish, a study on the stomach content analysis of the caged and free living fish has been conducted on September 2022. Samplings were conducted 2 times, once/2 weeks and the stomach contents was analyzed using a volumetric method. There were 139 fishes captured. The stomach 104 fishes were full or partly full, while the stomach content of other 35 fishes were less than 25% and could not be analyzed. Results shown the stomach content of the caged and free living fish were similar, there were algae and pellets (they could not be separated), fish feed pellet remains and fish tissue remains. The Preponderance Index of each food type present in the caged fish are pellets 71.24%, mixed algae and pellets 26.76% and fish tissue remains 2.00%, while those of the free living fish are pellets 16.28%, mixed algae and pellets 70.63%, and fish tissue remains 11.44%. Data obtained in this research indicate that the caged fish receive fish feed pellets that spilled out from the culture floating nets in the surrounding area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hunger affected 278 million people in Africa in 2021, and in Kenya, the proportion of the population unable to afford a healthy diet is 81%. To combat hunger and increase resilience throughout the food system, spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) has been shown to have remarkable properties. The main aim of this study is to investigate whether protein from spirulina is a suitable alternative to protein sourced from fish meal in fish feed for juvenile Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). In a trial investigating the use of spirulina biomass for fish feed on juvenile Nile tilapia, it has been proven that tilapia fingerlings fed diets with spirulina, replacing up to 30% of fish meal protein, were not affected in terms of growth performance compared to the fish fed the commercial diet. This shows that, nutritionally, protein from spirulina can replace fish meal protein fed to juvenile Nile tilapia. This offers promising opportunities for enhanced food and nutrition security. If produced affordably, spirulina can have a significant impact on the income level of low-income fish farmers in Kenya, who often spend more than 50% of their income on commercial fish feed. Affordability can be made possible if small-scale farmers can produce spirulina using animal manure that is available on the farm instead of using highly priced commercial fertilizer. The additional environmental benefits of spirulina include carbon dioxide sequestration and the removal of nitrogenous and phosphorous waste from the wastewater. Spirulina can therefore increase the sustainability of a whole food system.

The study developed a compact, single unit of fish feed mixing and pelleting machine. In this work, a compact fish feed mixing and pelleting machine was designed, fabricated, and evaluated for its performance efficiency. The basic units of the machine are the processing unit, structural support, and the prime mover. The major component of the feed substrates used were maize, fish meal, soya bean cake, blood, and bone meal in their varied proportions blended with wet cassava starch to establish the machine performance and efficiency. The results showed that the varied proportions of starch inclusion in the blended substrate have influence on the investigated machine performance parameters. The performance outputs from the machine revealed the highest pelleting efficiency of 80.36%, pellet durability of 98.74%, throughput capacity of 4.16 kg/h, and the least labour requirement of 0.23 man-hour per kg at a starch inclusion of 0.125 kg, while the highest pellet bulk density of 0.302 g/cm3 was recorded at 0.20 and 0.125 kg starch addition. Machine economic analysis revealed that it can be of benefit for small- to medium-scale fish feed farmers.

The current study is aimed to investigate the fungal contaminants in fish feed. Isolation of fungi was conducted on modified dichloran 18% glycerol agar (DG18) and potato dextrose agar (PDA). Feed samples were assayed for aflatoxins using HPLC. A total of 43 species belonging to 19 fungal genera recovered from 45 fish feed samples. Aspergillus and Penicillium were the most predominant genera with isolation frequency values indicated the retrieval capability of DG18 over PDA medium. For instance, Aspergillus spp. recorded 60%, 53.3% while Penicillium spp. were 33.3%, 17.8% on DG18 and PDA respectively via direct plating. 41.4% of the tested isolates were mycotoxin producers. Aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 were detected by 6 out of 10 screened Aspergillus isolates. Fumitremorgens, Gliotoxin, Ochratoxin A and B, and Zeralenone were also detected. The feed samples of high total count percentages (TC%) of A. flavus recorded the highest incidence of aflatoxins B2, G1 and G2 (2.3, 35.3 and 7.8 ng/g respectively). Meanwhile, the highest B1 concentration (3.7 ng/g) was recorded for the highest TC% interval studied (1:9 cfu/g). Thus, it is important to monitor the fungal load and mycotoxins in fish feed periodically using proper practical approaches.

As additional information about the chemistry and function of the food produced and its effects on health becomes available, the concept of a nutritious diet continues to evolve and become more precise. Such foods can be made using marine and terrestrial organisms, such as fish that contain long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids that exhibit effects and play an important role in health. However, fish consumption has been linked to cases of fish allergy, an IgE-mediated condition that has a prevalence reaching 7% of allergic events. Marine macroalgae – with all their health-promoting properties – have become of interest lately to be used as an alternative ingredient in fish feed that is important to minimize allergens in fish consumption that may be harmful to human health. This opinion is trying to summarize the latest evidence on fish feed fortification with macroalgae as a solution to reduce allergies due to fish consumption. It was highlighted that feeding fish with macroalgae fortification was proven to increase growth, stress resistance, and the immune system of fish, as well as reduce the amount of protein retention associated with the pathophysiology of fish allergy. In addition, in the development of the use of macroalgae, it is also expected that in vitro and in vivo research will also be carried out to prove the provision of fish feed with macroalgae related to fish allergies and focus on producing macroalgae formulations that are suitable for application as fish feed to prevent or reduce the incidence of fish allergy in humans.

Studies are lacking that investigate the dietary nutrient requirements of lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis), a newly farmed fish species in Ontario, Canada. Dietary levels of protein and lipid must be optimized to ensure high growth performance for the commercial success of this species. Additionally, the inclusion of insect meal in the diet may improve growth and immune response. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary protein:lipid ratios and insect meal as a feed additive on the growth performance and hepatic immune function of juvenile lake whitefish (301 ± 10 g). A 16-week (112 day) trial was performed with five diets including a commercial control diet (BCC), and four experimental diets with high or low levels of protein (54 and 48%, respectively) and lipid (18 and 12%, respectively). The high protein dietary groups contained 5% of full-fat black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens). Fish weights, viscera, liver, and blood were collected for further analysis. Specific growth rate, thermal growth coefficient and weight gain were significantly higher in fish fed with the BCC and high protein high lipid (HPHL) diets. However, viscerosomatic index was found to be significantly higher in fish fed the BCC diet, thus HPHL is more optimal for non-visceral weight gain. Higher levels of plasma phosphorus, aspartate aminotransferase and potassium indicated poor growth and stress in fish fed low lipid diets. Relative expression of HSP70, involved in cellular repair, was significantly downregulated in fish fed high lipid diets, and no effects were found on the expression of innate immune and oxidative stress genes. Also, IL8 (CXCL8) and catalase were upregulated (non-significant) in fish fed the HPHL diet with the largest weight gain. No effects of insects were found on growth, plasma biochemistry or gene expression, which suggests 5% dietary inclusion was too low. Overall, we recommend a HPHL diet for the cultivation of lake whitefish based on improved growth performance, low viscera weight, improved plasma biochemistry and downregulation of cellular repair genes.

Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) can be used to replace fishmeal (FM) up to 50% in tilapia diets without affecting their growth according to our previous study. Hence, this study was conducted to improve the formulation by supplementing red seaweed, Gracilaria changii meal, at a different percentage to reduce the FM percentage in the red hybrid tilapia diet. All diets were based on 30% protein (isonitrogenous), 10% lipid (isolipidic) and 19 kJ g−1 energy (isoenergetic) contents. The first group was fed with BSFL and FM at a 1:1 (15%: 15%) ratio as Control. Another four groups were provided with 15% BSFL and graded dosage replacement of FM with G. changi at 4.5% (GC4.5), 7.5% (GC7.5), 10.5% (GC10.5), and 15% (GC15). Each diet was randomly assigned to a triplicate tank with 20 fish per tank (mean weight ± 10 g). From the result, the weight gain, feed intake, FCR, SGR and PER of fish fed with GC7.5 were comparable to the control diet. The result of organosomatic indices shows that supplementation of G. changii did not significantly affect the hepatosomatic index (HSI) value but significantly improved the condition factor value at GC7.5. In addition, the inclusion of G. changi in feed resulted in higher protein and lipid body composition than the control diets. The values for all haematological parameters were within the normal range of healthy tilapia, which indicates that the supplementation of G. changi meal at different levels had no adverse effect on the tilapia blood profile. No significant difference (P > 0.05) was observed in fish's antioxidant enzyme activities, including superoxide dismutase, glutathione S-transferase and catalase. However, for the sensory analysis parameter, the panellist significantly prefered the GC15 fish fillet over other experimental diets based on flavour and overall acceptability. Therefore, the G. changii supplementation, at a level of 7.5% in a diet containing 15% BSFL, is more effective in the red hybrid tilapia diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The national fish consumption increases from 2020 to 2021 of 1.10%. The practices of fish feed production have direct environmental impacts related to emissions to air, water, and soil. The fish feed production process is divided into several stages including the intake, fine grinder, mixer, press, post pellet, dryer, cooler, sieveter, bagging off, and boiler. Considering the environmental impacts from fish feed production activities, there is a need for analysis of those impacts using the LCA method. LCA includes four stages: goal and scope definition, LCI, LCIA, and interpretation. This research is limited to the fish feed production process (gate to gate) and is based on the impact category method ReCiPe 2016 (H) with a midpoint characterization factor. Subsequently, determining environmental improvement program recommendations based on LCA study results and the AHP. The results of the LCA analysis on fish feed production indicate that the production of 1 ton of fish pellets generates 13 impact categories using the ReCiPe 2016 (H) midpoint method. The hotspot in the fish feed production process are found in the boiler unit with the global warming impact category (487,5868956 kg CO2 eq/ Ton of fish pellets) and the WWTP with the freshwater eutrophication impact category (0,0003883 kg P eq/Ton of fish pellets). The global warming impact is influenced by the emission inventory of CO2, CH4, and N2O, while the freshwater eutrophication impact is influenced by the inventory data of COD and BOD5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of the present study was to investigate the possibility of anchovy by-product meal (ABPM) as a protein source in the diet of red hybrid tilapia (Oreochromis spp.). Five formulated feeds were produced to contain different percentages of ABPM and soybean meal (SBM): Diet contained 100% SBM with the addition of 1% methionine; Diet contained 25% SBM and 75% ABP25 (ABP25). Diet 3 contained 50% SBM and 50% ABP (ABP50); Diet 4 contained 25% SBM and 75% ABP (ABP75), and Diet 5 contained 100% ABP (ABP100). A commercial tilapia feed was used as a control diet (CF). Fish were fed close to apparent satiation, twice a day to triplicate groups of the tilapia fingerlings (1.07 ± 0.28 g) for 10 weeks. Specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and protein efficiency ratio (PER) improved with the increase of ABP inclusion in the diets. Among the ABP-based diets, the highest growth performance and feed utilization were obtained by fish fed with ABP100 (SGR: 3.1%/day; FCR: 1.9) while the least was ABP0 (SGR: 1.5%/day; FCR: 2.6). Hepatosomatic index (HSI) and viscerasomatic index (VSI) of ABP meal-based diets were slightly higher compared to ABP0 and CF (0.5 to 1.5 & 7 to 12.8 respectively). There was no significant difference in fish survival rate and condition factor among all treatment groups. Protein apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC) showed an increasing pattern with increasing ABP meal in the diet and no significant difference in crude lipid ADC among all treatments. Whole-body moisture and crude lipid were not affected by the inclusion of ABPM in the diet, while crude protein and ash parallelly increased with the increase in the inclusion level of ABPM in the diet. Findings from this study indicated that ABPM is a good protein source and could replace SBM as the dietary protein ingredient for better growth performance and feed utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water hyacinth is a perennial aquatic weed that can be utilized effectively rather than spending energy in eradicating them. It is the source of N, P, K which is essential for the growth of plants. In India, locally available horticulture wastes and grasses are fed to cattle predominantly. Water hyacinth in the dried form or as ensilage may be given as cattle feed due to high protein content in it. The amino acid profile of water hyacinth makes it suitable to be used as pig feed. When Water hyacinth is used as poultry feed, it increases the egg laying ratio and boosts cell mediated immunity of the poultry. Water hyacinth can be used as an alternative of soy bean meal in fish feed which reduces the feed cost. Water hyacinth is also used to make paper, cardboards, disposable cups, plates and variety of products for human use. Water hyacinth thus becoming potential raw material for making valuable products to meet the sustainable solution for water hyacinth management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigation was conducted with a view to evaluating heavy metal contamination of four selected fish species (Labeo rohita, Catla catla, Cirrhinus cirrhosus, and Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and the potential health risks of its consumers in Rajshahi, Bangladesh. Twenty-one feed samples and eighty-four fish specimens were collected from seven different farms scattered across the Rajshahi district and subsequent screening of heavy metal was conducted through atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The heavy metal concentration of Pb, Co, Cr, Cd and Ni was found beyond the permissible limits in fish feed and raw fish with a strong correlative association of heavy metals between them. Metal pollution index revealed that C. cirrhosus was the most polluted species while L. rohita was the least. Health risk assessment was conducted by evaluating estimated daily intake (EDI), health risk index (HRI), target hazard quotient (THQ), hazard index (HI) and target carcinogenic risk (TR). EDI of metal was higher in children, and according to HRI, they were at two to three times more risk compared to the adults. THQ of all the heavy metals across the selected species was found to be less than 1 demonstrating the absence of non-carcinogenic hazard for individual heavy metal intake. However, HI values indicated that the cumulative effect of those heavy metals might impart some degree of non-carcinogenic effect over lifelong exposure. TR values suggested that the carcinogenic effect of Pb remained negligible while Cr, Cd and Ni had low to moderate risk of developing cancer with a greater probability of its occurrence in women than men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fishmeal is the most preferred protein source in aquafeed industry due to its balanced amino acid and fatty acid profile, but its limited global supply and high price value, necessitates researchers to focus on sustainable alternative sources of protein and plant‐based feed, to meet the growing demand of fish feed. Phytate is a reservoir of phosphorus present in the plants; however, its chelating ability makes it anti‐nutritional. Phytate forms complexes with minerals, proteins, lipids and carbohydrates, confining their accessibility in fish feeds, hence, additional dietary nutrients are required in the fish feed to overcome nutritional deficiencies. The elimination of phytate‐phosphorus through animal faeces and its pass on to aquatic bodies leads to enrichment of nutrients, eutrophication and algal blooms. Microbial phytase segregates phosphorus, minerals, proteins and lower inositol phosphates from phytate. The supplementation of fish feed with microbial phytase enhances the digestibility of minerals, due to which less nutrients are excreted in the faeces; therefore, minimizing pollution in water bodies. Monogastric and agastric animals inherently exhibit the deficiency of phytase; hence, supplementation of dietary material with phytase has been an emerging choice to make dietary nutrients available for fish. Moreover, microbial phytases have a broad pH range and are thermostable, which makes them an excellent choice for commercial fish feed production. Additionally, microbial phytase improves fish growth as these enzymes enhance nutrients bioavailability and their digestion. This review article presents the application of microbial phytases as a feed additive, and their role in enhancing fish growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of mycotoxigenic fungi in fish farm water and mycotoxins in feeds for farmed tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum). A total of 40 samples of freshwater from fish farms and 16 samples of feed were collected and analyzed for microbiology. A total of five species of free-living fungi were identified in fish farms: Aspergillus fumigatus, Penicillium citrinum, P. implicatum, Fusarium oxysporum and Alternaria alternata. These fungi species were counted in water samples at 35.14 CFU mL−1 and 24.69 CFU mL−1 in the dry seasons. In all fish farms, there was a higher abundance of fungi species in the rainy season. During visits to the fish farmers, it was possible to verify poor feed storage conditions. Concerning mutations in blood cells, in tambaqui (C. macropomum), a total of 159 anomalies were found, and in Leptodactylus petersii, 299 anomalies were found, with higher incidences in conditions above 1.0 CFU mL−1 in log10(x+1) fungi and in the rainy season. The occurrence of mycotoxicological contamination was confirmed in 81.25% of the analyzed samples. The quantified mycotoxin was Fumonisins B1 + B2 (375 to 1418 μg kg−1). Pearson's correlation analysis showed a significant positive correlation between Fumonisins and feed samples (r = 0.83). There was also a significant positive correlation between the abundance of fungi in water and the quantification of Fumonisins (r = 0.79). Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that free-living fungi can be used as bioindicators of water quality in fish farms. Consequently, the lack of good management practices caused microbiological contamination of the aquatic environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we developed a transport model for typical pollutants in the Yellow Sea using the Lagrangian particle tracking method to analyze the trajectories of fish feed, a common pollutant in the Yellow Sea. The model incorporates the influence of ocean currents and surface winds on pollutant transport and utilizes a series of numerical experiments to simulate pollutant transport. Through statistical analysis of the numerical experiment results, we identified characteristic circles that represent the pollutant distribution patterns. Furthermore, based on the current and wind information within these characteristic circles, we derived an empirical formula to describe pollutant distribution. This formula enables us to predict the spatial distribution of pollutants using available current and wind data. Using this empirical formula, we designed an effective path to avoid pollutant contamination. This approach not only optimizes the utilization of computational resources within the study area but also contributes to the rational planning of navigation routes for aquaculture vessels. Overall, our study provides valuable insights into the transport behavior of fish feed pollutants in the Yellow Sea. The establishment of the empirical formula and the design of effective routes to avoid pollution contribute to the efficient management of pollution and facilitate the planning of marine activities in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this service is the development of the fishery sector by utilizing the remaining production (reuse and recycle) as an effort to preserve the environment and increase the circular economy. These objectives are derived in specific objectives: 1) Development of processed fish food to fulfill the needs of independent fish feed; and 2) Making fish feed based on local potential and recycling fish processing residue. The service uses training and mentoring methods. The training is expected to provide skills to the community, especially in the manufacture of fish feed made from leftovers. The training was continued with mentoring by involving elements of students on an ongoing basis. Another method used is Focus Group Discussion (FGD). The result of this service is the growing independence of aquaculture fishermen and empowerment in improving their welfare.

Fish feed is becoming an increasingly vital source of nourishment for farmed fish, which are mainly coming from marine fish and agricultural sources. Anthropogenic particles, such as microplastics, are abundant in both marine fish and agricultural byproducts that are utilized to make fish feed. This study investigated whether fish feed could be a source of microplastic contamination, and revealed that a 20 weeks adult farmed tilapia fish might consume up to 268.45 ± 1.438 microplastic particles via fish feed where finisher type feeds were found to be mostly contributory in this number. The microplastics were initially observed with a stereomicroscope and FESEM-EDS. Polymeric composition of microplastics was determined to be polypropylene (PP), nylon-6 (NY-6), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyethylene (PE), high- and low-density polyethylene (HDPE, LDPE), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polycarbonate (PC), poly vinyl acetate (PVAc), poly urethane (PU) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) by FTIR. Results also revealed that the size of microplastic particles in all fish feed ranged from 14 μm to 4480 μm, with 550 ± 45.45 to 11,600 ± 56.1 microplastic particles/kg of fish feed. The FESEM-EDS data demonstrated to overlook the microplastic surface along with attachment of heavy metals onto that surface such as Pb, Ni, and Co in finisher type feed that could create additional health risks.

Numerous studies on the replacement of fishmeal with plant protein sources in tilapias have been undertaken. In order to quantify the effect of replacing fishmeal with plant protein sources on the growth performance of tilapias, a meta-analysis approach was applied. Despite the high heterogeneity and funnel plot asymmetry, the meta-analysis showed that replacing fishmeal with plant protein sources has a significant positive effect on the growth performance of tilapias. Thus, tilapias appear to be preadapted to utilizing plant protein sources. Furthermore, the feed value, nutritional quality and cost of the commonly used plant ingredients (soybean, sunflower, canola, cottonseed, kikuyu and azolla meals) were explored. The Solver function in Excel was used to formulate least-cost diets using the plant meals. Azolla had the highest nutritional index (9.7436). This was attributed to its excellent amino acid profile that exceeded the requirements of tilapias. Nutritional index and feed value were lowest in kikuyu because of its poor amino acid profile as it registered the lowest amino acid index (0.4918). These results indicate that the amino acid profile is more important in the determination of nutritional quality than the percent protein content. Azolla and soybean meal are good candidates for the replacement of fishmeal in the diets of tilapias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish is an inexpensive source of high-quality protein as well as valuable micronutrients. Increasing the volume of fish and producing more fish feed is necessary to ensure the necessary consumption. One of the main components of fish feed is oil, the most crucial lipid source in fish feed. Fish oil is easily digestible and contains essential fatty acids, but replacing fish oil with alternative oil might make the fish feed more sustainable. Vegetable oils can replace fish oil due to reduced costs due to continued growth in production volumes, high availability and better economic value. Soy, linseed, rapeseed, sunflower, palm and olive oils are often used in fish feed. Also, microalgae oil is rich in essential fatty acids and a long-lasting alternative to fish oil. Important is not only the environmental impact of oil alternatives but also how these alternatives maintain or even improve the overall composition and quality of fish feed and products. An LCA assessment was performed to determine the environmental impact of microalgae, rapeseed oil, and fish oil. Where LCA system boundaries are "cradle to gate" and a functional unit of 1 kg of oil. LCA inventory is data from a literature review and SimaPro Ecoinvent database. The results obtained from LCA are based on PEFCR impact assessment categories. The LCA results show that the single score value for microalgae oil is 1.00E+00 mPt, for rapeseed oil 3.55E-01 mPt and fish oil 1.61E-01 mPt. It should be noted that the comparison presented reflects a generic comparison of alternatives, as the input data is derived from the literature analysis and the Ecoinvent v3.8 database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish feeds are an integral part of commercial and personal aquaculture, which provides a balanced diet and nutrition for farmed fish. High cost and competition with human food of fish feed is a major concern amongst the livestock and aquaculture feed industries. The objective of this paper is to analyze the current state of understanding on the use of non-conventional feed to replace normal fish feeds in Nigeria using information from secondary data. The mastery and use of substitute sources of fishmeal at all stages of fish development is crucial to reducing the demand on aquatic resources caused by the use of fishmeal in fish feed. Non-conventional feed ingredients are not usually the traditional ingredients used for commercial fish feed production. Many unconventional sources are of very good nutrient profiles which when incorporated into feeds can meet parts of the protein and energy requirements of the fish. Most of these indigenous fish feed resources are non-competitive in terms of human consumption, their prices are relatively very low and sometimes are of no cost value. They are usually byproducts or waste products from agricultural industries, domestic waste, and wild plants, thus their utilization as feed resources can help to reduce the cost of fish feeds and fish production in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish feed quality is the main determinant of fish flesh quality, so it is important for successful aquaculture. The current study determines the concentration of heavy metals in fish feeds (A and B), water, and their bioaccumulation in gills, liver, and muscle of C. carpio cultured in different environments (biofloc technology and earthen pond systems). In addition, the correlation between heavy metals in fish feeds with bioaccumulated metals in fish tissues was also determined. Results revealed that most heavy metal concentration was significantly greater (P < 0.05) in feed B than in feed A but in permissible range, while all the heavy metal concentration was notably higher in earthen ponds than in biofloc technology. Result from the bioaccumulation factor and concentration of the metals showed that heavy metals were highly accumulated in the fish liver followed by gills. The metal concentration in fish feeds and fish edible parts (muscle) was lower than the WHO standard level; however, the amount of Pb was higher in the fish muscle, liver, and gills, which is harmful for human consumption and also for fish health. Though the correlation test revealed that all of the metals from the feeds were positively correlated to the metals in fish tissues, but most of the estimated correlation was significant and linearly correlated. It can be concluded that producers must measure feed quality correctly to avoid heavy metal contamination because it may assimilate and accumulate in the food chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feeding cost is among the main drivers in the price competitiveness of intensively‐fed‐aquaculture (IFA) products. As soaring energy prices increase the costs of technologies used to increase the digestibility of plant protein feeds, there is an urgent call for comprehensive knowledge on the mass use of insects as fish feed. This review identifies the key aspects of insect incorporation into established IFA practices and puts them into a commercial context. Larvae of Black soldier fly (BSFL) is identified as the most versatile in terms of (a) variety of biowaste usable for its rearing, (b) automatization and scaling up, (c) nutritional value and (d) circular and environmental aspects. Furthermore, modifications insect diets can increase the levels of valuable compounds such as omega‐3 fatty acids in fish. Other insects such as ants or mealworms have the potential to meet the nutritional requirements of various fish species. While today the production costs of BSFL (mostly around 3.5 € kg−1) are mostly determined by labour costs, it is predicted that intensified industrialization of insect rearing could reduce the production cost below 2 € kg−1. In addition, multiple positive economic impacts, as well as environmental spillovers, have been identified. It is proposed that further research should be directed towards the refining and further valorization of byproducts from insect farming which could further dissolve the rearing cost. Bringing the IFA into compliance with the principles of the circular economy increases its competitiveness by reducing production costs and improving public opinion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]