The Effects of Prebiotic Products in Fish Nutrition
Abstract
Prebiotics are natural or synthesized organic or inorganic substances that favour the development of useful micro organisms in the digestive tract. Prebiotics have only recently been used in aquaculture, for their beneficial effects on production performances and health status, as an alternative strategy for the use of antibiotics. Other members of the prebiotics group are: inulin, fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), short-chain fructo-oligosaccharides (scFOS), mannan oligosaccharides (MOS), galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS), arabino-xylo-oligosaccharides (AXOS). Effects of prebiotics on growth, feed conversion, disease resistance and immune parameters in different species of fish, have been studied worldwide, but to a lesser extent compared to the land animals. From the previously listed prebiotics, the most efficient in fish nutrition are the mannan oligosaccharides, extracted from the cell wall of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. An important product from this category is Bio-Mos and Actigen. This mannan based prebiotic inhibits the development of pathogenic bacteria in the gut, at the same time having immuno-stimulatory effects, thus determining a greater disease resistance. At an intestinal level, prebiotics determine the increase of the nutrient absorption area, leading to an increased growth rhythm and a better feed conversion.
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