Study on the Stability of Probiotic (Spirulina fusiformis) Incorporated Fish Diets

Abstract

Aquaculture is one of the fastest-growing food production sectors in the world. The use of probiotics might be a good option to reduce the risk of disease and enhance fish productivity. Probiotics thus are opening a new era in the health management strategy for aquatic species including finfish and shellfish. Probiotics are beneficial microorganisms that help in maintaining the well-being of the host animal. The development of non-antibiotic and environment-friendly probiotic feeds is one of the key factors for health management in aquaculture. The benefits of probiotic supplements include improved feed value, enzymatic contribution to digestion, and inhibition of pathogenic microorganisms. Feed stability is of paramount importance in the manufacture of aquaculture diets. The water stability of the feed pellet depends on the individual ingredients that bind together. Hence the study was designed to investigate the stability of probiotic feeds in water. Probiotic Spirulina added feed samples were soaked in a glass beaker containing water and allowed to remain for time intervals ranging from 10 to 60 minutes to study the stability of feed. The results showed that the control feed pellet (40.00 + 1.00) was the least stable among the types of experimental feed (SF2 and SF3) in 60 minutes of immersion. The increased level of stability (71.66 %) was recorded in (2 & 3% inclusion) feed type.