Aquaculture plays a pivotal role in global food security, as highlighted in the 2016 report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. This report projects that aquaculture will remain the fastest-growing agricultural activity in developing nations at least until 2025. Brazil, in particular, stands out in this landscape, with the potential to nearly double its aquaculture output during this timeframe, according to FAO statistics.
Several factors contribute to this growth, including substantial investments by aquaculture operators, favorable climatic conditions, and advancements in research and technology. Additionally, the availability of fortified feeds offering advantages for animal metabolism and health is crucial. Products like the BioActio Health & Performance Hydrolysed Chicken Protein by BRF Ingredients exemplify how innovation can enhance productivity while adding value for producers.
Globally, the FAO reported a total aquaculture production of 73.8 million metric tons in 2016. Fish accounted for 49.8 million tons, mollusks for 16.1 million tons, crustaceans for 6.9 million tons, and other aquatic organisms for 7.3 million tons. Fish farming alone constituted over half of this global production.
In Brazil, aquaculture has been expanding steadily since 2015, reaching a total output of 574,163 metric tons that year. Of this, 69.9% were fish, 20.6% shrimp, 2% mollusks, and 0.1% other species. Notably, tilapia farming emerged as a standout sector, achieving 20,193 metric tons in 2015, according to IBGE data.
By 2021, Brazil's fish production surged to an impressive 841,000 metric tons, as per Anuário Peixe BR da Piscicultura 2022. The growth in tilapia farming has been particularly significant, with an 45% increase over eight years. By 2021, tilapia accounted for 63.5% of total fish production in the country, equivalent to over 534,000 metric tons.
"Tilapia farming's expansion in Brazil supports the development of other sectors, given its role as an animal model for experimentation. Studies conducted on tilapia can be applied to other species, providing broader benefits to the entire aquaculture industry," as noted in recent reports.
Despite this progress, the intensification of aquaculture demands continuous innovation and research to optimize feed formulations for peak animal performance. A major challenge for producers lies in finding ingredients that are both nutritious and cost-effective. Traditionally, fishmeal has been a primary component in aquaculture feed due to its high nutritional value, but it is both costly and environmentally unsustainable.
Fishmeal also generates significant waste in aquaculture tanks, impacting water quality and animal health. Therefore, alternative protein sources like BRF Ingredients' BioActio Health & Performance Hydrolysed Chicken Protein are becoming increasingly important. Produced through enzymatic hydrolysis, this ingredient offers enhanced digestibility and bioactivity, improving fish health and performance while reducing environmental impact.
BioActio's hydrolysed chicken protein boasts a digestibility coefficient (CDA) of up to 94%, ensuring optimal nutrient absorption in tilapia. Studies have shown that incorporating BioActio into tilapia diets boosts survival rates by 12% and increases final weight by 23% in post-larvae and 35% in fingerlings. These outcomes translate into better food conversion ratios and higher-quality yields, making BioActio a cost-effective solution for producers.
Moreover, BioActio aligns with sustainability goals by repurposing animal byproducts, minimizing waste, and reducing environmental contamination. As noted by Mora, Reig, and Toldrá (2016), the proper management of byproducts is essential for economic viability and environmental conservation. Similarly, Mullen et al. (2017) emphasize the profitability of utilizing byproducts in creating value-added ingredients.
The benefits of BioActio extend beyond improved digestibility and performance. It also enhances feed efficiency, resulting in a 39% improvement in food conversion ratios for tilapia in the fingerling stage. Consequently, producers benefit from increased fillet yields (up by 11%) and higher final weights (up by 5%), translating into greater economic returns.
To learn more about BioActio and its applications in aquaculture nutrition, contact a BRF Ingredients expert today. The future of sustainable aquaculture depends on innovative solutions like BioActio, which address both productivity and environmental concerns effectively.
References:
[1] FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture. Rome, 2016.
[2] Carvalho Filho, J. Conheça os números da produção aquÃcola de 2015. Revista Panorama da AQÃœICULTURA.
[3] Anuário Peixe BR da Piscicultura 2022.
[4] Rocha, J. D. M. ProteÃna hidrolisada de frango para tilápia do Nilo: digestibilidade e desempenho produtivo 2018.
[5] SOARES, M. Avaliação de hidrolisados proteicos de subprodutos de frango e suÃno na nutrição do camarão-branco-do-pacÃfico.
[6] MORA, L., REIG, M., TOLDRÃ, F. (2016) Bioactive peptides generated from meat industry by-products.
[7] Mullen et al. (2017), Alternative uses for co-products: Harnessing the potential of valuable compounds from meat processing chains.
Pediococcus pentosaceus are Gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic, non-motile and non-spore-forming, members of the industrially important lactic acid bacteria. Like other lactic acid bacteria, P. pentosaceus are acid tolerant, cannot synthesize porphyrins, and possess a strictly fermentative metabolism with lactic acid as the major metabolic end product (Axelsson, 1998; Garvie, 1986). Phylogenetically Pediococcus and Lactobacillus form a super-cluster that can be divided in to two sub-clusters, all species of Pediococcus fall within the Lactobacillus Casei – Pediococcus sub-cluster. Morphologically, pediococci (cocci; 0.6-1.0 mm in diameter) and lactobacilli (rods) are distinct. The formation of tetrads via cell division in two perpendicular directions in a single plane is a distinctive characteristic of pediococci. Pediococcus can be described as “the only acidophilic, homofermentative, lactic acid bacteria that divide alternatively in two perpendicular directions to form tetrads” (Simpson and Taguchi, 1995). Lactic acid is produced from hexose sugars via the Embden-Meyerhof pathway and from pentoses by the 6-phosphogluconate/phosphoketolase pathway (Axelsson, 1998). P. pentosaceus grow at 40 but not 50oC, between pH 4.5 an 8.0, in 9-10% NaCl, hydrolyzes arginine, can utilize maltose and some strains produce a “pseudo-catalase”.
Pediococcus Pentosaceus
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