Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Microalgae have attracted increasing attention as animal feed supplements since they are natural sources of bioactive compounds which give them nutraceutical properties in addition to their basic nutritional value. More recently, dry... more
Microalgae have attracted increasing attention as animal feed supplements since they are natural sources of bioactive compounds which give them nutraceutical properties in addition to their basic nutritional value. More recently, dry microalgae biomass have also been proposed as raw materials in partial substitution for fish meal and oil in aquafeeds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of including a blend of dried marine microalgae in low fish meal/fish oil diets on growth performance, levels of plasma metabolites and activity of brush border intestinal enzymes in adult European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax, L.). Two test diets (A1 and A2) were prepared by including a blend of Isochrysis galbana and Tetraselmis suecica dried biomass in a 2:1 w:w ratio to replace 15 and 45% fish meal protein and 10 and 30% fish lipid of a control diet (C) with a 50:50 fish to vegetable-protein-lipid ratio. One hundred eight fish (mean body weight 204\ub112.7g) were randomly divided ...
Few studies have investigated the influence of pre-slaughter feeding-fasting history of cultured fish on quality traits of raw fillets. Short pre-slaughter fasting periods (3-9 days) led to slight changes in Salmonid fillet quality,... more
Few studies have investigated the influence of pre-slaughter feeding-fasting history of cultured fish on quality traits of raw fillets. Short pre-slaughter fasting periods (3-9 days) led to slight changes in Salmonid fillet quality, whereas longer starvation (35 days) resulted in improved pre-slaughter resistance to stress and delayed rigor (L\uf2pez-Luna et al., 2014; Bermejo-Poza et al., 2015; M\uf8rk\uf8re et al., 2008). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a 3-week pre-slaughter fasting or feed restriction period on the evolution of post mortem quality traits of fillet of large rainbow trout (O. mykiss). Fish groups, each consisting of 40 specimens (695g) kept at 13.2\ub10.1\ub0C in 2.5 m3 circular tanks, were fed a full ration (FR, 0.66% biomass day-1) or a restricted one (RR, 30% of FR) or were kept starved (R0) over three weeks before slaughtering. Fish were rapidly sacrificed by percussion and five fish per treatment were stored on ice for recording evolution ...
Compensatory growth (CG) during recovery from feed deprivation is a well-known phenomenon in fish, making the practice of cyclic feed restriction-refeeding a possible tool for aquaculturists to optimize growth performance. While earlier... more
Compensatory growth (CG) during recovery from feed deprivation is a well-known phenomenon in fish, making the practice of cyclic feed restriction-refeeding a possible tool for aquaculturists to optimize growth performance. While earlier studies in this direction focused on relatively short single feed restriction-refeeding protocols, the present trial was designed to evaluate the impact of different repeated cyclic feeding schemes on the zootechnical response of rainbow trout (O. mykiss) over a complete growing phase up to the commercial size. Three hundred trout (body weight 72\ub16 g) were randomly distributed among 12 tanks, each of 0.5 m3 capacity and supplied with 8 L min-1 of well water at a temperature of 12.7\ub10.8\ub0C. Triplicated groups of fish were subjected over 27 weeks to one of the following treatments: C, control, continuous feeding to visual satiety 6 days a week; T1, cyclic feeding regularly alternating 1 week starvation (S) and 3 weeks refeeding (F) (1S+3F); T2,...
Italy, with Spain and France, is a top producer of molluscan shellfish in the EU; the national production of bivalve mollusc (111,000 tons) accounts for 63% of the Italian aquaculture size and mainly consists in farmed Mediterranean... more
Italy, with Spain and France, is a top producer of molluscan shellfish in the EU; the national production of bivalve mollusc (111,000 tons) accounts for 63% of the Italian aquaculture size and mainly consists in farmed Mediterranean mussels (M. galloprovincialis). Mussels have an interesting nutritional value making them ideal for the human diet; however, being cultured in extensive systems, their quality entirely depends on natural resources. Recent studies highlighted that mussels from different Spanish and Portuguese production sites can be distinguished by biometric, nutritional and sensory characteristics (Olivera et al., 2014). Such differences could help to register seafood products by a Protected Designation of Origin. The experiment aims at a quick, explorative sensory profiling of mussels cultured in different Italian rearing sites. M. galloprovincialis of commercial size, from Arborea (OR), Marano Lagunare (UD) and Goro (FE) after heat treatment (85\ub0C for 10 minutes) S...
La ricerca sull\u2019uso degli estratti vegetali come antiossidanti o immunostimolanti riveste un ruolo preminente nell\u2019ambito dell\u2019acquacoltura biologica. Gli estratti etanolici commerciali ottenuti da Aloe vera, Curcuma longa,... more
La ricerca sull\u2019uso degli estratti vegetali come antiossidanti o immunostimolanti riveste un ruolo preminente nell\u2019ambito dell\u2019acquacoltura biologica. Gli estratti etanolici commerciali ottenuti da Aloe vera, Curcuma longa, Echinacea purpurea, Lavandula officinalis, Origanum vulgare, Panax ginseng e Rheum officinale sono stati utilizzati per valutare in vitro la loro capacit\ue0 antiossidante/immunostimolante mediante il saggio di \u201cburst respiratorio\u201d nei leucociti di trota iridea (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Tra tutti, l\u2019estratto che ha manifestato una attivit\ue0 immunostimolante \ue8 stato quello di Ginseng che \ue8 stato scelto per avviare le prove zootecniche e successivamente di challenge in vivo nella trota iridea. La presenza del Ginseng nella dieta non ha modificato le prestazioni zootecniche dei pesci rendendo l\u2019estratto di ginseng un possibile candidato come additivo nelle diete per trota iridea
Research Interests:
Farmed insects are among novel protein sources for pig feeding. In Europe, insect producers and pig breeders have to comply with rather complex rules and legal requirements, mainly related to the feed (or \u201csubstrate) fed to the... more
Farmed insects are among novel protein sources for pig feeding. In Europe, insect producers and pig breeders have to comply with rather complex rules and legal requirements, mainly related to the feed (or \u201csubstrate) fed to the insects. Annex III of Regulation (EC) 767/2009 lists a number of materials that are prohibited as substrate for insects, such as feces and \u201chousehold waste\u201d. Substrates have to comply also with EU regulations on animal proteins (Regulation 1069/2009 and the implementing 142/2011): according to these regulations, some (animal protein) sources such as manure, gut content, dead-in-shell poultry, and fallen stock are prohibited as substrate for insects. Insects are expected to be increasingly used in Europe as protein replacers in animal nutrition, and the potential species for use in pig diets are Hermetia illucens (black soldier fly), larvae of Musca domestica (common housefly), and Tenebrio molitor (yellow mealworm). Black soldiers larvae meal i...
Research Interests: Agriculture and Pigs
Despite a growing interest in microalgae as sustainable sources of nutrients in complete aquafeeds, little information is presently available on the nutritive value of these novel potential feed ingredients for carnivorous fish species.... more
Despite a growing interest in microalgae as sustainable sources of nutrients in complete aquafeeds, little information is presently available on the nutritive value of these novel potential feed ingredients for carnivorous fish species. The aim of this study was to estimate energy and the apparent macronutrient digestibility of a panel of cultivated microalgae, using rainbow trout as a fish model. From a basal reference diet mash, 8 test diets were obtained including finely ground dried biomass of Arthrospira platensis (ART), Chlorella sorokiniana (CHL), Nannochloropsis oceanica (NAN), Nostoc sphaeroides (NOS), Tisochrysis lutea (TISO), Phaeodactylum tricornutum (PHAE), Porphyridium purpureum (POR) and Tetraselmis suecica (TETR) at a 12:88 w:w microalgae to reference diet ratio. All diets were added with acid insoluble ash (1.0%) as an inert marker before being extruded and dried into 3mm pellet. The apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) of dry matter, protein, organic matter and energy for reference and test diets were estimated in vivo with juvenile rainbow trout using 9 units of three 50-L tanks, each stocked with 15 fish (52.4 \ub1 1.5 g), fitted with a settling column for fecal collection (Guelph system). Each diet, offered to visual satiety in two daily meals, was evaluated over three independent 10-day fecal collection periods preceded by 7 days adaptation to a new diet. ADCs were calculated by difference relative to those measured with the reference diet. The various microalgal biomasses showed significantly different apparent digestibility values (p<.05). Dry matter ADCs ranged from 90.4% for TISO to 53.3% for CHL. Protein ADCs varied from 94.4% for POR to 63.9% for CHL. Organic matter ADCs ranged from 94.6 for TISO to 58.3% for CHL while gross energy ADCs varied from 93.7 for POR to 53.1% for NAN. The results obtained here using the rainbow trout as a carnivorous fish model for digestibility, provide a useful indication of the nutritive value of different microalgae to assist in the formulation of environmental friendly fish diets. They also showed that, due to poor digestibility of certain microalgae biomass, just a few of them can tackle the sustainability challenge of the aquafeed industry as a potential and cost effective source of nutrients and the adoption of suitable physical or enzymatic rupture treatments in some species will be needed to improve their digestibility
Research Interests: Fishery and Rainbow trout
Research Interests:
The aim of this study was to compare some somatic indexes, chemical-nutritive characteristics and the contents of some metals (Pb, Cu, Cr and Zn) in the whole body and fillet from caught and reared sharpsnout seabream (Diplodus puntazzo).... more
The aim of this study was to compare some somatic indexes, chemical-nutritive characteristics and the contents of some metals (Pb, Cu, Cr and Zn) in the whole body and fillet from caught and reared sharpsnout seabream (Diplodus puntazzo). The fish came from three different conditions: reared in marine cages (R), captured in a natural lagoon (L) and in the Mediterranean sea (S). Thirty fish per group, divided into three weight categories (100±15.3, 200±18.7 and 300±20.4g), were used for the trial. Reared sharpsnout seabream showed higher amounts of celomatic fat (3.41%, 2.43%, 0.21%, respectively for R, L and S) and total lipid (13.86%, 11.23% and 5.06% respectively for R, L and S), and lower moisture (64.14%, 65.54%, 71.53%) and protein (17.73, 19.03 and 19.17%) than those caught in the lagoon and sea. The whole body of reared fish contained lower amounts of lead (0.70, 0.75 and 0.97mg/kg, respectively for R, L and S), copper (0.15, 0.38, 0.25mg/kg) chrome (2.19, 3.52, 3.77mg/kg) an...
The rise in the demand and the limited availability of eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids claim to obtain these important long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) from novel sources. Skin of rainbow trout is a... more
The rise in the demand and the limited availability of eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids claim to obtain these important long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) from novel sources. Skin of rainbow trout is a fish industry by-product but still contains valuable LCPUFA amounts with great potential applications in human nutrition and health. This study aimed to explore the nutritional composition of rainbow trout skin for its use as source of n-3 LCPUFA and its composition modification according to fish diet. Rainbow trout were fed three diets including increasing substitution levels of fishmeal with full-fat black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae meal (0%, 25%, 50% substitution levels) over 98 days. DHA was the major representative of the n-3 LCPUFA in the skin of all dietary groups, being the H25 group the richest in this fatty acid. The present study shows that the skin of rainbow trout can be a promising source of n-3 LCPUFA. Reusing the skin of farmed fish represents a possible way to decrease food industry by-products, to reduce n-3 LCPUFA shortfall and could lead to the development of functional foods and nutritional supplements including n-3 LCPUFA from fish skin.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
In a preliminary in vitro study, a Panax ginseng extract exhibited an evident antibacterial activity against Yersinia ruckeri and Lactococcus garvieae and affected the respiratory burst and proliferation of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus... more
In a preliminary in vitro study, a Panax ginseng extract exhibited an evident antibacterial activity against Yersinia ruckeri and Lactococcus garvieae and affected the respiratory burst and proliferation of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss leukocytes. Subsequently, the effects of a dietary ginseng extract supplementation on growth, blood biochemical profile, innate immune response and resistance against Y. ruckeri infection were investigated in vivo in rainbow trout juveniles. Four experimental diets were obtained by adding 0.0%, 0.01%, 0.02%, 0.03% of ginseng ethanolic extract to a commercial feed. Each diet was fed to triplicate groups of fish (mean body weight 30.5 ± 0.15 g) at 1% of body weight day−1 for 10 weeks. The dietary supplementation with ginseng extract did not affect growth performance, feed utilization, biometric traits and fish whole body composition (P > 0.05). No major changes due to graded levels of ginseng extract in the diet were observed in blood biochemical parameters except for increasing plasma triglycerides and non-esterified fatty acids in fish fed diets including 0.01% and 0.02% of extract (P 0.05). The dietary administration of ginseng extract induced a reduction in mortality of rainbow trout infected with Y. ruckeri, although no significant differences between treated and control groups were observed (P > 0.05).
Research Interests:
Recent improvements in technological production systems allow massive microalgae biomass under controlled conditions to be produced. This makes such organisms a potential alternative to conventional sources of omega-3 polyunsaturated... more
Recent improvements in technological production systems allow massive microalgae biomass under controlled conditions to be produced. This makes such organisms a potential alternative to conventional sources of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids also for feeding marine finfish species of interest for aquaculture. Their major constrain still represented by their high production cost - although expected to become more affordable in the near future - is counterbalanced by the high environmental sustainability, being microalgae at the origin of the food chain, and by the high nutritional value. Several species are actually available at an industrial scale and the potential of two marine microalgae as ingredients in aquafeeds for the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) is presented. Dried Tetraselmis sueccica and T-Isochrysis aff. galbana were included to replace 10% (Tetra10 & T-ISO10) and 20% (Tetra20 & T-ISO20) protein supplied by fish meal which was the major protein source in the control diet. All diets resulted isoproteic (50% DM) and isolipidic (18% DM). The formulated feeds were fed to juveniles sea bass for a minimum of 9 weeks under controlled environmental conditions in two separated trials according to completely randomized designs with three replicates per dietary treatment. Feeding the test diets resulted in similar fish growth and feed utilization as well as in the hedonistic properties of the fish fillet as evaluated by a triangular test involving a panel of 10 trained judges at the end of the trial considering T-ISO dietary inclusion. Anyway feeding diets including high levels of microalgae resulted in decreasing diet digestibility measured by in vivo trial (ADC coefficients) and in enhanced green-yellowish skin pigmentation (CIE system). Moreover despite a 60% reduction of dietary fish oil in case of T-ISO20 diet, only a slight reduction in LC-omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids content was measured in the flesh. Data suggest the possibility to optimize the combination of these two microalgae to meet the specific nutritional requirements to make the feeding practice even of a marine carnivorous fish more sustainable
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Two hundred and twenty rainbow trouts (IBW: 700 g) were randomly allotted to four tanks, with a male/female ratio of 0.56. Fish were fed for 168 d with four experimental diets containing herring oil, cod liver oil and coconut oil with the... more
Two hundred and twenty rainbow trouts (IBW: 700 g) were randomly allotted to four tanks, with a male/female ratio of 0.56. Fish were fed for 168 d with four experimental diets containing herring oil, cod liver oil and coconut oil with the following inclusion rates: diet A: 12-1-0% respectively; diet B: 6-1-6%; diet C: 0-1-12%; diet D: 0-0-13%. Irrespective of
Research Interests:
Samples of fertilized dentex, Dentex dentex, eggs and larvae fed enriched rotifers and Artemia according to standard hatchery procedures were analysed for free, total amino acid and fatty acid contents. Egg free amino acids (53 nmol... more
Samples of fertilized dentex, Dentex dentex, eggs and larvae fed enriched rotifers and Artemia according to standard hatchery procedures were analysed for free, total amino acid and fatty acid contents. Egg free amino acids (53 nmol ind-1) and total lipids (13.5 (µg ind-1) levels were considerably reduced in the newly hatched larvae (6.0 nmol and 5.7 (µg ind-1 respectively) while
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
ABSTRACT The liver activity of lipogenic enzymes, the lipid content in various tissues, and plasma lipid levels of major, were measured in sea bass (D. labrax) fed over 96 days either a, fish meal-based control diet or preparations where... more
ABSTRACT The liver activity of lipogenic enzymes, the lipid content in various tissues, and plasma lipid levels of major, were measured in sea bass (D. labrax) fed over 96 days either a, fish meal-based control diet or preparations where 70% of fish meal protein was replaced by wheat gluten singly or in combination with pea or soybean meals. Relative to the controls, sea bass fed the wheat gluten-based diet resulted in stimulated lipogenesis in liver and increased lipid deposition in muscle. The opposite occurred when a substantial amount of soybean meal was included in the diet. Mesenteric fat depots were apparently insensitive to major changes in dietary protein source in fish showing similar intakes of digestible protein, energy and lipid. These results confirm that varying plant protein source in the diet differently affects lipid metabolism and deposition in sea bass.
Research Interests:
... the EU banned their use, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were largely included in several industrial products and equipment and, due to their stable molecular structure and lipophilic character, they are concentrated and magnified... more
... the EU banned their use, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were largely included in several industrial products and equipment and, due to their stable molecular structure and lipophilic character, they are concentrated and magnified within the aquatic chains (Van den Berg et al ...
Research Interests:
Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) analysis was used to predict proximate chemical composition and identify the rearing system of 236 European sea bass caught in four Italian fish farms (extensive ponds, semi-intensive ponds,... more
Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) analysis was used to predict proximate chemical composition and identify the rearing system of 236 European sea bass caught in four Italian fish farms (extensive ponds, semi-intensive ponds, intensive tanks and intensive sea-cages). Three types of sample preparation (intact fillet portions; whole fresh minced fillet; freeze-dried minced fillet) were compared. NIRS provided good reliability in the prediction of chemical composition of sea bass fillets but weaker results in crude protein prediction. NIRS prediction of chemical composition proved to be more accurate with fresh minced fillets than intact fillet portions. The merely slight improvement of NIRS accuracy with freeze-dried samples did not justify the latter treatment, which was necessary, however, to obtain reliable information on the sea bass rearing system.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
ABSTRACT The research was aimed to assess the effect of dietary carvacrol (0.025% and 0.05%) on sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) growth, immune response and resistance to Listonella anguillarum. Fish (69.2 ± 0.22 g) were fed the... more
ABSTRACT The research was aimed to assess the effect of dietary carvacrol (0.025% and 0.05%) on sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) growth, immune response and resistance to Listonella anguillarum. Fish (69.2 ± 0.22 g) were fed the experimental diets for 9 weeks. Dietary carvacrol did not negatively affect fish survival, growth performance, feed intake and feed conversion ratio (P &gt; 0.05) nor carcass yield and viscerosomatic, hepatosomatic and mesenteric fat index (P &gt; 0.05). Serum and head kidney leucocytes were collected after 1, 4 and 8 weeks of feeding. Carvacrol significantly reduced serum proteins, immunoglobulins and lysozyme activity (P &lt; 0.01) and moderately increased phagocytosis and pinocytosis of head kidney mac-rophages. The release of reactive oxygen species by leucocytes was reduced in carvacrol-fed fish, even if significantly (P &lt; 0.05) only in those fed 0.05% carvacrol for 1 week. Dietary carvacrol did not significantly affect the aspecific immune response, although a potential antioxidant activity might be speculated. Moreover, feeding carvacrol provided an appreciable resistance to a challenge with L. anguillarum, when a bacterial dose lower than the Lethal Dose 50 was used. Cumulative mor-tality in fish fed 0.025% carvacrol was signifi-cantly lower than that of untreated controls (75% Relative Per cent Survival).
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Groups of 60 European sea bass fingerlings weighing 2.1 ± 0.05 g/fish were kept in each of 18 flow-through 65-litre tanks supplied with 2.5 l/min of brackishwater (temperature, 25 Co; salinity, 25 ppt). Duplicate tanks were fed for 9... more
Groups of 60 European sea bass fingerlings weighing 2.1 ± 0.05 g/fish were kept in each of 18 flow-through 65-litre tanks supplied with 2.5 l/min of brackishwater (temperature, 25 Co; salinity, 25 ppt). Duplicate tanks were fed for 9 weeks with 9 isonitrogenous (46 ± 0.2%; N × 6.25) and isolipidic (12 ± 0.2% by ether extract) semipurified diets obtained from a basal mixture formulated to be limiting in arginine (1% by weight). The basal diet contained maize gluten meal (300 g/kg), herring meal (100 g/kg) and mixtures of indispensable and dispensable amino acids to simulate, excluding arginine and lysine, the amino acid profile of sea bass muscle protein. Seven diets were used to evaluate the arginine requirement. They were obtained by adding 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 g/kg of pure l-arginine to the basal mixture while maintaining the lysine level equal to the sea bass requirement (2.2 g/100 g diet). Diets 8 and 9 were prepared to contain either a 50% excess or deficiency of lysine and a constant level of arginine (1.95 g/100 g diet). By analysis of the doseresponse relationship based on growth data, the dietary requirement of arginine was found to be 1.81 ± 0.005 g/100 g diet corresponding to 3.9 g/16 g N. A similar value was obtained when the 5-h (peak) postprandial plasma urea concentrations were regressed against the dietary level of arginine (1.78 ± 0.06 g/100 g diet), suggesting the possible use of this parameter to confirm the arginine requirement estimated by conventional growth experiments. From the results of the present experiment it would seem that sea bass fingerlings, like other warmwater fish species, are apparently not sensitive to moderate disproportions of dietary arginine and lysine.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
National audienc
Research Interests:
This study aimed to determine whether isotopic ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) can discriminate farmed European sea bass according to different farming systems and geographic origins. Dicentrarchus labrax of commercial size from three... more
This study aimed to determine whether isotopic ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) can discriminate farmed European sea bass according to different farming systems and geographic origins. Dicentrarchus labrax of commercial size from three different rearing systems (concrete tank inland, sea cages, and extensive methods in valleys or salt works) were collected at the trading period (autumn–winter). For each farming type, different locations spread over Italy were monitored. Once the fish were harvested, the muscle and feed were sampled. For both muscle and feed, δ13C and δ15N were measured by continuous flow elemental analyzer isotope ratio mass spectrometry (CF-EA-IRMS) with the goal of discriminating samples based on the rearing system. Additional δ2H and δ18O measurements of fish samples were performed by continuous flow total combustion elemental analyzer isotope ratio mass spectrometry (CF-TC/EA-IRMS) to track the geographical origin. The measurements of δ13C and δ15N made it possibl...
Research Interests:
The effects of replacement of maize grain with ancient wheat by-products on intestinal morphometry and enzymatic activity in laying hens was studied. Eighty hens were divided into two groups (40 each, 8 replicates, 5 hens/replicate) fed... more
The effects of replacement of maize grain with ancient wheat by-products on intestinal morphometry and enzymatic activity in laying hens was studied. Eighty hens were divided into two groups (40 each, 8 replicates, 5 hens/replicate) fed two isoproteic and isoenergetic diets. In the treated group, part of the maize was replaced by a mix of ancient grains (AGs) middling, in a 50:50 ratio of Triticum aestivum L. var. spelta (spelt) and Triticum durum dicoccum L. (emmer wheat). The AG diet affected the weight of all the large intestine tracts, decreasing the weight of caeca (p < 0.01) and increasing those of colon (p < 0.01), rectum and cloaca (p < 0.05). Villus height in the AG group was higher (p < 0.01) than the control for the duodenum and jejunum, while for the ileum, the control group showed the highest values (p < 0.01). The submucosa thickness was higher (p < 0.01) in the control group for the duodenum and ileum, while the jejunum for the AG group showed the hi...
Research Interests:
Microalgae have been used as live food in aquatic species. In recent years, the interest in microalgae has considerably increased, thanks to the evolution of production techniques that have identified them as an ecologically attractive... more
Microalgae have been used as live food in aquatic species. In recent years, the interest in microalgae has considerably increased, thanks to the evolution of production techniques that have identified them as an ecologically attractive aquafeed ingredient. The present study provides the first data about the effects of dietary inclusion of a microalgae consortium grown in a high-rate algal pond system on zootechnical performance, morphometric indices, and dietary nutrient digestibility as well as morphology and functionality of the digestive system of European sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax. A dietary treatment including a commercial mono-cultured microalgae (Nannochloropsis sp.) biomass was used for comparison. Six hundred and thirty-six European sea bass juveniles (18 ± 0.28 g) were randomly allotted into 12 experimental groups and fed 4 different diets for 10 weeks: a control diet based on fish meal, fish oil, and plant protein sources; a diet including 10% of Nannochloropsis spp....
Research Interests:
Over the last years, the potential use of Black Soldier Fly meal (BSF) as a new and sustainable aquafeed ingredient has been largely explored in several fish species. However, only fragmentary information is available about the use of BSF... more
Over the last years, the potential use of Black Soldier Fly meal (BSF) as a new and sustainable aquafeed ingredient has been largely explored in several fish species. However, only fragmentary information is available about the use of BSF meal-based diets in sturgeon nutrition. In consideration of a circular economy concept and a more sustainable aquaculture development, the present research represents the first comprehensive multidisciplinary study on the physiological effects of a BSF diet during sturgeon culture in an aquaponic system. Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii) juveniles were fed over a 60-days feeding trial on a control diet (Hi0) and a diet containing 50% of full-fat BSF meal respect to fish meal (Hi50). Physiological responses of fish were investigated using several analytical approaches, such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, histology, Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), microbiome sequencing and Real-time PCR. While aquaponic systems performe...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Black Soldier Fly (BSF) meal is considered as an alternative, emerging and sustainable ingredient for aquafeed production. However, results on fish physiological responses are still fragmentary and often controversial, while no studies... more
Black Soldier Fly (BSF) meal is considered as an alternative, emerging and sustainable ingredient for aquafeed production. However, results on fish physiological responses are still fragmentary and often controversial, while no studies are available on fish behavior in response to these new diets. The present work represents the first comprehensive multidisciplinary study aimed to investigate zebrafish physiological and behavioural responses to BSF-based diets. Five experimental diets characterized by increasing inclusion levels (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% respect to fish meal) of full fat BSF prepupae meal were tested during a 2-months feeding trial. Prepupae were cultured on coffee silverskin growth substrate enriched with a 10% Schizochytrium sp. to improve insects’ fatty acids profile. The responses of zebrafish were assayed through biometric, histological, gas chromatographic, microbiological, spectroscopic, molecular and behavioural analyses. Results evidenced that BSF-based diets...
Research Interests:
The production of insects on an industrial scale has attracted the attention of the research and agricultural industry as novel protein sources. To detect the presence of Gryllodes sigillatus (GS) in feed and food, a real-time PCR method... more
The production of insects on an industrial scale has attracted the attention of the research and agricultural industry as novel protein sources. To detect the presence of Gryllodes sigillatus (GS) in feed and food, a real-time PCR method based on the mitochondrial cytochrome b (CYB) gene is proposed by this study. Forty DNA samples of animal and plant origin were used to confirm the specificity of the qPCR system. The detection method’s performance was evaluated on different processed GS matrices including native GS (UnGS) and different commercial products: crunchy roasted samples (RoGS), insect meal mixtures (ACGS) and energetic snacks containing GS (GSS). Data on sequencing were aligned with the reference gene to confirm the PCR products. The regression curve (y = −3.394 x + 42.521; R2 = 0.994, d.f. 14) between Ct values and Log DNA concentrations of Gryllodes sigillatus resulted in an efficiency of 96.4%. The severity of the technological processing treatments and the matrix stru...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
This study investigated the effects of dietary inclusion levels of full-fat Hermetia illucens prepupae meal (H) on growth and gastrointestinal integrity in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). A 98-day study was conducted using triplicate... more
This study investigated the effects of dietary inclusion levels of full-fat Hermetia illucens prepupae meal (H) on growth and gastrointestinal integrity in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). A 98-day study was conducted using triplicate groups of trout (initial body weight, 137 ± 10.5 g) kept in 1-m3 tanks in a flow-through well water system. Three dietary treatments were prepared: one based on fishmeal and purified protein-rich vegetable ingredients (H0), and two experimental diets including graded levels of H meal (25% and 50%, referred to as H25 and H50, respectively). At the end of the feeding trial, no differences were observed in growth performance and plasma metabolite levels, with the biometric data confirmed by the liver expression of the genes involved in somatic growth regulation (igf1 and mstn1a). In the H50 group, a three-fold up regulation of liver hsp70 was observed. An activation of the stress/immune response (il-10, tnf-α, and tlr-5) was observed in medium intesti...
Research Interests:
To evaluate the effects of feeding a Hermetia illucens (HI) larvae meal on the different intestinal traits of hens, and to determine the toxic elements’ concentration in the insect meal and diets, 162 hens were randomly allotted to three... more
To evaluate the effects of feeding a Hermetia illucens (HI) larvae meal on the different intestinal traits of hens, and to determine the toxic elements’ concentration in the insect meal and diets, 162 hens were randomly allotted to three groups. The control received a corn-soybean meal-based diet (SBM); the HI25 and HI50 groups received two diets in which the 25% and 50% of the dietary protein were replaced by the HI protein, respectively. The duodenal and jejunal villi height and villi/crypt were higher (p < 0.01) in the SBM than in the HI groups. The ileal villi height was higher (p < 0.05) in the SBM and HI25 groups than the HI50. The HI50 group exhibited a lower duodenal maltase activity. The intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) activity linearly decreased in the duodenum and jejunum as the dietary insect meal inclusion increased. The HI50 group had a higher acetate and butyrate level than the SBM. The levels of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and arsenic (As) in t...
Research Interests:
Due to minimal environmental impact, compared to most conventional feed commodities, insects deserve a growing attention as candidate ingredients for aquafeeds. This study tested, for the first time during zebrafish larval rearing, the... more
Due to minimal environmental impact, compared to most conventional feed commodities, insects deserve a growing attention as candidate ingredients for aquafeeds. This study tested, for the first time during zebrafish larval rearing, the effects of an increasing replacement (0%-25%-50%) of fish meal by black soldier fly (BSF) full-fat prepupae meal. All diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous and isolipidic. A multidisciplinary approach, including biometrics, histology, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and molecular analyses, was applied to better understand the biological responses of larval zebrafish to the different partial inclusions of BSF in the feed. Generally, results are promising, but a 50% of BSF meal inclusion in the diet affected both lipid composition and accumulation in the larvae.
Research Interests:
This research investigated the ileum morphometry and enzymatic activity, the caecal volatile fatty acid production and the apparent nutrient digestibility in laying hens fed a Hermetia illucens larvae meal (HILM) as a complete replacement... more
This research investigated the ileum morphometry and enzymatic activity, the caecal volatile fatty acid production and the apparent nutrient digestibility in laying hens fed a Hermetia illucens larvae meal (HILM) as a complete replacement of diet soybean meal (SBM). The hens fed HILM exhibited a lower live weight (P<0.05) and a higher incidence of the full digestive tract (P<0.05) than the SBM group. In the duodenum, the maltase exhibited a higher (P<0.05) activity in the HILM group while the intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) had a higher (P<0.05) activity in the SBM group. In the ileum, the maltase and saccarase had a higher activity in the HILM hens (P≤0.01) while the IAP and ɤ glutamil transferase had a higher activity in the SBM group (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). The HILM group showed a higher (P<0.05) villi height in the duodenum, while the opposite happened in the jejunum and the ileum. Only in the ileum the crypt depth resulted higher (P<0.05...