| Medium-chain fatty acids as feed additives for sustainable aquaculture |
| Paper ID : 1052-ICIAQUA |
| Authors |
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Zahra Nemati *1, Seyed Hossein Hoseinifar2 1Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran 2Faculty of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran |
| Abstract |
| Medium-chain fatty acids are saturated fatty acids with a chain length of 6 to 12 carbons, which include caproic or hexanoic acid (C6), caprylic or octanoic acid (C8), capric or decanoic acid (C10), and lauric or dodecanoic acid (C12). These MCFAs are rapidly metabolized in the body and provide an immediate source of energy. They are found naturally in sources such as coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and milk fat, and are also produced synthetically. These fatty acids have a high satiety value and prevent overeating. Commercial MCFA products are available as feed additives for animals to improve growth performance and gut health. Also, MCFAs can be combined with SCFAs, which are short-chain fatty acids and added to the diet as an additive. MCFAs have recently received attention in aquaculture. The effects of MCFA administration in fish such as common carp, sea bream, rainbow trout, red drum, Atlantic salmon, and grouper, as well as white shrimp and larvae of some fish such as European bass larvae and common carp larvae, have been investigated. The results of previous studies showed the potential of these feed additives to improve growth performance, digestive processes, and disease resistance. It also increases the digestibility and fat metabolism, increases the digestibility of nutrients, increases the efficiency of feed consumption, increases antioxidant capacity, intestinal and pancreatic health, resistance to some parasitic diseases, improves immune response, absorption of amino acids along the intestinal tract and conserving nutrients and ultimately increasing survival. This review paper provides an overview of the new findings regarding the use of medium-chain fatty acids in aquaculture. Also, the mechanism of the effect of MCFAs on the immune parameters and physiology of aquatic animals has been investigated. In addition, the existing research gap and the fields that need further study have been discussed. |
| Keywords |
| Medium-chain fatty acids, Aquaculture, Feed Additives, Sutainability |
| Status: Abstract Accepted (Poster Presentation) |