Use of prebiotics, probiotics & synbiotics as additives in aquaculture

Use of prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics as a nutritional tool in aquaculture.

Aquaculture is expanding significantly in Brazil and worldwide. According to a report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the country will have a 104% increase in fish production by 2025.

Improving performance in species of zootechnical interest reared under intensive systems is a major interest in fish farming. Considering the fact that productive success depends upon: genetics, management, appropriate nutrition according to the species being produced and its cultivation system.  Given the current demands from a growing aquaculture industry, it is necessary to conduct research that leads to the creation of complete, efficient and economically viable diets.

Aquaculture requires adequate water resources, where fish or other species of productive interest will remain throughout their cultivation period. Thus, disease proliferation or any other distortion that may affect productive equilibrium can lead to negative impacts within the rearing environment. Resulting in important economic losses for the sector.

Antibiotic use in aquaculture has been a tool of choice for disease control and improving zootechnical performance in the past decades. However, antimicrobial abuse has led to the rise of multiresistant pathogens, leading to significant health risks both for animals and humans worldwide.