Modulation of gilthead sea bream gut microbiota by a bioactive egg white hydrolysate: Interactions between bacteria and host lipid metabolism

This study aimed to highlight the relationship between diet, animal performance and mucosal adherent gut microbiota (anterior intestine) in fish fed plant-based diets supplemented with an egg white hydrolysate (EWH) with antioxidant and antiobesogenic activity in obese rats. The feeding trial with juveniles of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) lasted 8 weeks. Fish were fed near to visual satiety with a fish meal (FM)/fish oil (FO) based diet (CTRL) or a plant-based diet with/without EWH supplementation. Specific growth rate decreased gradually from 2.16% in CTRL fish to 1.88% in EWH fish due to a reduced feed intake, and a slight impairment of feed conversion ratio. Plant-based diets feeding triggered a hyperplasic inflammation of the anterior intestine regardless of EWH supplementation.