This innovation relates to the Prebiotic potentials of Marine macro-seaweeds, especially brown macro-algae Sargassum polycystum. It can be used as prebiotic food, feed additive or feed supplement especially for the young (e.g.fish fry and fingerlings) of farmed aquatic species. Tests show that the oral intake of Sargassum polycystum (containing the indigestible polyssacharides, fucoidan) as dietary supplement for Marine fish species enhances growth performance and feed efficiency. From the literature it is known that feeds which enhance growth and feed efficiency also affect survival and immune response in the animals fed. Further, experiments showed that the oral intake of Sargassum polycystum as dietary supplement stimulates the growth and proliferation of beneficial lactococci and lacto-bacilli (especially Lactobacillus paracasei subspecies paracasei) bacteria in the intestines of the gastro intestinal tract (GIT) of the fish, increases the blood RBC and WBC counts, improves carcass protein and total Fe contents accordingly.

 

Therefore, Sargassum polycystum is useful as a prebiotic feed supplement to stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria in the GIT and to enhance feed efficiency and growth performance in reared animals. Such prebiotic feed supplement is presumed to be useful in normalizing the bacteria flora in the GIT, to exclude invasion by opportunistic pathogens (which cause diseases), while enhancing the bio-availability of trace elements and minerals to the reared animal.

 

Probiotic bacteria have been proposed to have many benefits to the host when introduced into the gastro intestinal tract (GIT), to ferment the undigested and non-digested feed consumed.  However, although several bacteria have been screened and reported to have probiotic characteristics, the choice of the specific strain to elicit the right effects in humans and other reared animals is not an easy one. If the complexity of the intestinal ecosystem, inhabited by more than 400 bacterial species and divided into several ecological niches is taken in consideration, it becomes clear that the selection of the bacteria to be used as a food additive or a biotherapeutic agent is not a simple task. It is also unlikely that each single strain belonging to one species possesses all of the characteristics that will make it a suitable probiotic.

 

Therefore, the prebiotic concept was introduced, where certain indigestible oligosaccharides in the host are known to stimulate the selective growth of particular probiotic organisms. However, before a potential prebiotic oligo- or Polysaccharide is approved, several laboratory trials are required, involving a large number of potential probiotic bacteria screened against the oligosaccharide. This is time consuming and may at the end of the day, the suggested oligosaccharide or polysaccharide may not work as prebiotic in different species.

 

Based on above statement, research indicates that the best approach in the choice of a prebiotic and probiotic would be a combination of the right oligosaccharide/polysaccharide, which when added in the diet, selectively enhances the proliferation of the right probiotic in the organism, naturally.

 

Advantages

1. Promotes the production of antibiotics residue-free aquaculture products
2. Initiates the pathway for stimulating and strengthening of the immune system in farmed aquatic species, thus reducing the need for antibiotics in aquaculture
3. Potential for conversion of a menacing, invasive seaweed into a wealth-creating, organic immune stimulant for farming aquatic species
4. Cheap and sustainable (Sargassum culturable)

 

 Researcher;

Muhammad Farhan Nazarudin
Institute of Biosciences
m_farhannaza@upm.edu.my

 

Artikel oleh /Article by :

Asrizam Esam
Pegawai Penyelidik
Putra Science Park UPM

Date of Input: 14/11/2019 | Updated: 02/01/2020 | asrizam