Page 31 - New additives and ingredients in the formulation of aquafeeds

A wide variety of concepts and products is being investigated for improving
digestion and feed utilization in pigs and poultry. Potential products for
application in fish include botanical extracts and phytobotanical compounds,
short and medium chain fatty acids, organic acids, enzymes, and natural
emulsifiers (Figure 2). However, it is difficult to predict the functionality of
many of these products for a wide range of fish species, covering carnivorous/
omnivorous/herbivorous feeding habits, marine/freshwater habitats, cold/
tropical climates, and extremely different feed formulations. At the Nutriad
Technology Center, a continuous program of empiric screening for different
aquaculture species aims at identifying promising compounds for application
in aquaculture. Nutriad research has mainly focused on compounds which
are heat-stable in order to facilitate application in the mixer under practical
processing conditions applied in aquafeed manufacturing.
Photo 1: Empiric
screening in standar-
dized feeding trials
using practical feeds
aims at identifying
promising feed addi-
tives for application
in aquaculture
Screening
for optimal
performance &
cost-efficiency
of digestibility
enhancers
Figure 2. Compounds
with potential for im-
proving digestibility
and feed utilization
in fish (IN=intestine
• PA=pancreas •
LI=liver • BB=bile
bladder •ST=stomach
• E=esophagus •
PC=pyloric caeca)
Fig. 2. Compounds with potential for improving
(IN=intestine • PA=pancreas • LI=liver • BB=bil
PC=pyloric caeca) (Coutteau et al., 2010).
Enzymes
Degrade non-starch polysaccharides (NSP)
Make phytate phosphorous available
Short/Medium Chain Fatty Acids
Enhance nutrient absorption
Herbal Extracts & Phytobotanical
Compounds
Simulate enzyme secretion & activation
Simulate bile acid production & secretion
Organic Acids
Enhance acidification of stomach
Improving pepsine digestion
Feed Emulsifiers
Complement bile acid activity
Trace-elements & co-factors
Support enzyme activity in digestion &
metabolism
Innovative approaches to reduce feed cost in aquaculture: optimizing nutrient utilization and gut health 29