Potential Application of Prebiotics in Aquaculture
Abstract
Various sectors of the aquaculture industry would benefit if cultured organisms were conferred with enhanced
growth performance, feed efficiency and disease resistance. As such, the cost of medication and production costs
could be reduced and consumer perceptions would be improved. It has been documented in a number of terrestrial
animals and humans that microbiota of the gastrointestinal tract plays important roles in affecting the nutrition and
health of the host. Dietary application of probiotics, which are live microbial organisms, may be restricted due to
regulatory approvals and technical constraints such as heat inactivation during feed manufacturing. Thus, prebiotics,
which are non-digestible feed ingredients that benefit the host by stimulating growth and activity of healthpromoting
bacteria, recently has attracted attention. Probiotics may promote growth of bacteria such as
Lactobacillus and Bifidobacter spp. in the intestine and limit potentially pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella.
Such compounds have been reported to favorably affect various terrestrial species; however, such information in
currently limited for aquatic organisms although some positive effects of prebiotic supplements on fish and
crustaceans recently have been published. This paper will review recent studies in which the effects of various
prebiotics have been evaluated for potential application in the aquacultural production of fish and shrimp.
Downloads
References
Bongers, A. and E.G.H.M. van der Huevel (2003) Prebiotics and the bioavailability of mineral and trace elements.
Food Reviews International 19, 397-422.
Breves, G, L. Sztkuti, and B. Schröder (2001) Effects on oligosaccharides on functional parameters of the intestinal
tract of growing pigs. Dtsch. Teirärzti. Wschr. 108, 246-248.
Burr, G. S., D.M. Gatlin III., and S. Ricke (2005) Microbial ecology of the gastrointestinal tract and the potential
application of probiotics and prebiotics in finfish aquaculture. Journal of the World Aquaculture Society 36,
-436.
Burr, G., M. Hume, S. Ricke and D.M. Gatlin III (2006) Evaluation of GroBiotic-A, brewers yeast and
fructooligosaccharide as prebiotics for the red drum Sciaenops ocellatus. Aquaculture America 2006, Las
Vegas, NV.
Cahill, M. (1990) Bacterial flora of fishes: A review. Microbial Ecology 19, 21-41.
Flickinger, E.A., J. van Loo, and G.C. Fahey, Jr. (2003) Nutritional responses to the presence of inulin and
oligofructose in the diets of domesticated animals: a review. Clinical Reviews of Food Science and
Nutrition 43, 19-60.
Fuller, R. (1989) Probiotics in man and animals. Journal of Applied Bacteriology 66, 365-378.
Gatesoupe, F.J. (1999) The use of probiotics in aquaculture. Aquaculture 180, 147-165.
Gatlin D.M., III (2002) Nutrition and fish health. In: Fish Nutrition (ed. by J.E. Halver and R. W. Hardy), pp.
-702, Academic Press, San Diego, CA.
Gibson, G.R. and M.B. Roberfroid (1995) Dietary modulation of the human colonic
microbiota: introducing the concept of prebiotics. Journal of Nutrition 125, 1401-1412.
Huber, I., B. Spanggaard, K. Appel, L. Rossen, T. Nielsen, and L. Gram (2004) Phylogenetic analysis and in situ
identification of the intestinal microbial community of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, Walbaum).
Journal of Applied Microbiology 96, 117-132
Hume, M.E., L.F. Kubena, T.S. Edrington, C.J. Donskey, R.W. Moore, S.C. Ricke, and D. J. Nisbet (2003) Poultry
digestive microflora diversity as indicated by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Poultry Science 82,
-1107.
Irianto, A. and B. Austin (2002) Probiotics in aquaculture. Journal of Fish Diseases25, 633-642.
Li, P., and D.M. Gatlin, III (2004) Dietary brewers yeast and the prebiotic GroBiotic®-A influence growth
performance, immune responses and resistance of hybrid striped bass (Morone chrysops × M. saxatilis) to
Streptococcus iniae infection. Aquaculture 231, 445-456.
Li, P., and D.M. Gatlin. III (2005) Evaluation of the prebiotic GroBiotic®-A and brewers yeast as dietary
supplements for sub-adult hybrid striped bass (Morone chrysops × M. saxatilis) challenged in situ with
Mycobacterium marinum. Aquaculture 248, 197-205.
Mahious,A.S., F.J. Gatesoupe, M. Hervi, R. Metailler and F. Ollevier (2006) Effect of dietary inulin and
oligosaccharides as prebiotics for weaning turbot, Psetta maxima. Aquaculture International 14, 219-
Manning, T. and G. Gibson (2004) Prebiotics. Best Practice & Research in Clinical Gastroenterology 18, 287-
Patterson, J.A., and K.M. Burkholder (2003) Application of prebiotics and probiotics in poultry production. Poultry
Science 82, 627–631.
Ricke S.C., M.E. Hume, S.Y. Park, R.W. Moore, S.G. Birkhold, L.F. Kubena and D.J. Nisbet (2004) Denaturing
gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) as a rapid method for assessing gastrointestinal tract microflora
responses in laying hens fed similar zinc molt induction diets. Journal of Rapid Methodology and
Automation in Microbiology 12, 69-81.
Ringø, E. (1993) Does dietary linoleic acid affect intestinal microflora in Artic Charr,Salvelinus alpinus (L.)?
Aquaculture and Fisheries Management 24, 133-135.
Sakai, M. (1999) Current research status of fish immunostimulants. Aquaculture 172, 63-92.
Sealey, W.M. and D.M. Gatlin III (2001) Overview of nutritional strategies affecting the health of marine fish. In:
Nutrition and Fish Health (ed. by C. Lim and C.D. Webster), pp. 103-118. The Haworth Press, Inc.
Smiricky-Tjardes, M., C. Grieshop, E. Flickinger, L. Bauer, and G. Fahey, Jr. (2003)
Dietary galactooligosaccharides affect ileal and total-tract nutrient digestibility, ileal and fecal bacterial
concentrations, and ileal fermentative characteristics of growing pigs. Journal of Animal Science 81, 2535–
Spanggaard, B., I. Huber, J. Neilsen, T. Neilsen, K. Appel, and L. Gram (2000) The
microflora of rainbow trout intestine: a comparison of traditional and molecular identification. Aquaculture
, 1-15.
Teitelbaum, J.E. and W.A. Walker (2002) Nutritional impact of pre- and probiotics as protective gastrointestinal
organisms. Annual Reviewss in Nutrition 22, 107-138.
Vulevic, J., R.A. Rastall, and G.R. Gibson (2004) Developing a quantitative approach
for determining the invitro prebiotic potential of dietary oligosaccharides. FEMS Microbiology Letters
, 153-159.
