Towards Sustainable Aquafeeds: Microalgal (<i>Nannochloropsis</i> sp. QH25) Co-Product Biomass Can Fully Replace Fishmeal in the Feeds for Rainbow Trout (<i>Oncorhynchus mykiss</i>)

Aquaculture, one of the world’s most rapidly growing food sectors, faces several concerns about its sustainability. A major concern is using fishmeal and fish oil from ocean-derived small pelagic fish (sardine, anchovy, etc.) in aquaculture feed. The aquafeed industry is seeking new sustainable ingr...

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Main Authors: Pallab K. Sarker, Benjamin V. Schoffstall, Anne R. Kapuscinski, Brandi McKuin, Devin Fitzgerald, Connor Greenwood, Kira O’Shelski, Emily Noelle Pasion, Duncan Gwynne, Diego Gonzalez Orcajo, Sofie Andrade, Pablo Nocera, Angelo M. San Pablo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Foods
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/5/781
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author Pallab K. Sarker
Benjamin V. Schoffstall
Anne R. Kapuscinski
Brandi McKuin
Devin Fitzgerald
Connor Greenwood
Kira O’Shelski
Emily Noelle Pasion
Duncan Gwynne
Diego Gonzalez Orcajo
Sofie Andrade
Pablo Nocera
Angelo M. San Pablo
author_facet Pallab K. Sarker
Benjamin V. Schoffstall
Anne R. Kapuscinski
Brandi McKuin
Devin Fitzgerald
Connor Greenwood
Kira O’Shelski
Emily Noelle Pasion
Duncan Gwynne
Diego Gonzalez Orcajo
Sofie Andrade
Pablo Nocera
Angelo M. San Pablo
author_sort Pallab K. Sarker
collection DOAJ
description Aquaculture, one of the world’s most rapidly growing food sectors, faces several concerns about its sustainability. A major concern is using fishmeal and fish oil from ocean-derived small pelagic fish (sardine, anchovy, etc.) in aquaculture feed. The aquafeed industry is seeking new sustainable ingredients to replace fish meal. This study focused on microalgal co-product, <i>Nannochloropsis</i> sp. QH25 co-product (leftover after oil extraction for nutraceuticals) is a novel aquafeed ingredient that can replace fishmeal in rainbow trout diets. A nutritional feeding experiment was conducted and compared fishmeal-containing rainbow trout diets with microalgal co-products that replaced fishmeal as follows: 0% replacement in reference diet (fishmeal, no microalgal co-product) and test diets with 33%, 66%, and 100% replacement of fishmeal using microalgal-product. Results showed the complete replacement diet yielded fish growth, feed conversion, and survival similar to the reference diet. Depositions of macronutrients, amino acids, fatty acids, macro minerals, and several trace elements in the filet were not significantly different across diets. Economic conversion ratio (ECR) analysis showed that the rainbow trout fed the 100% replacement diet had the lowest feed cost per kg of fish produced. Microalgal co-products can fully replace fishmeal in trout feed while maintaining fish performance, flesh composition, and cost-effectiveness.
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spelling doaj-art-a8af7ef8225d41d5bbe95bd837b3f6102025-08-20T02:59:00ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582025-02-0114578110.3390/foods14050781Towards Sustainable Aquafeeds: Microalgal (<i>Nannochloropsis</i> sp. QH25) Co-Product Biomass Can Fully Replace Fishmeal in the Feeds for Rainbow Trout (<i>Oncorhynchus mykiss</i>)Pallab K. Sarker0Benjamin V. Schoffstall1Anne R. Kapuscinski2Brandi McKuin3Devin Fitzgerald4Connor Greenwood5Kira O’Shelski6Emily Noelle Pasion7Duncan Gwynne8Diego Gonzalez Orcajo9Sofie Andrade10Pablo Nocera11Angelo M. San Pablo12Environmental Studies Department, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USAEnvironmental Studies Department, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USAEnvironmental Studies Department, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USASchool of Engineering, University of California Merced, 5200 Lake Rd, Merced, CA 95343, USAEnvironmental Studies Department, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USAEnvironmental Studies Department, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USAEnvironmental Studies Department, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USAEnvironmental Studies Department, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USAEnvironmental Studies Department, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USAEnvironmental Studies Department, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USAEnvironmental Studies Department, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USAEnvironmental Studies Department, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USAEnvironmental Studies Department, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USAAquaculture, one of the world’s most rapidly growing food sectors, faces several concerns about its sustainability. A major concern is using fishmeal and fish oil from ocean-derived small pelagic fish (sardine, anchovy, etc.) in aquaculture feed. The aquafeed industry is seeking new sustainable ingredients to replace fish meal. This study focused on microalgal co-product, <i>Nannochloropsis</i> sp. QH25 co-product (leftover after oil extraction for nutraceuticals) is a novel aquafeed ingredient that can replace fishmeal in rainbow trout diets. A nutritional feeding experiment was conducted and compared fishmeal-containing rainbow trout diets with microalgal co-products that replaced fishmeal as follows: 0% replacement in reference diet (fishmeal, no microalgal co-product) and test diets with 33%, 66%, and 100% replacement of fishmeal using microalgal-product. Results showed the complete replacement diet yielded fish growth, feed conversion, and survival similar to the reference diet. Depositions of macronutrients, amino acids, fatty acids, macro minerals, and several trace elements in the filet were not significantly different across diets. Economic conversion ratio (ECR) analysis showed that the rainbow trout fed the 100% replacement diet had the lowest feed cost per kg of fish produced. Microalgal co-products can fully replace fishmeal in trout feed while maintaining fish performance, flesh composition, and cost-effectiveness.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/5/781aquafeedfishmealmicroalgal co-productdefatted microalgaeaquaculture sustainabilityrainbow trout
spellingShingle Pallab K. Sarker
Benjamin V. Schoffstall
Anne R. Kapuscinski
Brandi McKuin
Devin Fitzgerald
Connor Greenwood
Kira O’Shelski
Emily Noelle Pasion
Duncan Gwynne
Diego Gonzalez Orcajo
Sofie Andrade
Pablo Nocera
Angelo M. San Pablo
Towards Sustainable Aquafeeds: Microalgal (<i>Nannochloropsis</i> sp. QH25) Co-Product Biomass Can Fully Replace Fishmeal in the Feeds for Rainbow Trout (<i>Oncorhynchus mykiss</i>)
Foods
aquafeed
fishmeal
microalgal co-product
defatted microalgae
aquaculture sustainability
rainbow trout
title Towards Sustainable Aquafeeds: Microalgal (<i>Nannochloropsis</i> sp. QH25) Co-Product Biomass Can Fully Replace Fishmeal in the Feeds for Rainbow Trout (<i>Oncorhynchus mykiss</i>)
title_full Towards Sustainable Aquafeeds: Microalgal (<i>Nannochloropsis</i> sp. QH25) Co-Product Biomass Can Fully Replace Fishmeal in the Feeds for Rainbow Trout (<i>Oncorhynchus mykiss</i>)
title_fullStr Towards Sustainable Aquafeeds: Microalgal (<i>Nannochloropsis</i> sp. QH25) Co-Product Biomass Can Fully Replace Fishmeal in the Feeds for Rainbow Trout (<i>Oncorhynchus mykiss</i>)
title_full_unstemmed Towards Sustainable Aquafeeds: Microalgal (<i>Nannochloropsis</i> sp. QH25) Co-Product Biomass Can Fully Replace Fishmeal in the Feeds for Rainbow Trout (<i>Oncorhynchus mykiss</i>)
title_short Towards Sustainable Aquafeeds: Microalgal (<i>Nannochloropsis</i> sp. QH25) Co-Product Biomass Can Fully Replace Fishmeal in the Feeds for Rainbow Trout (<i>Oncorhynchus mykiss</i>)
title_sort towards sustainable aquafeeds microalgal i nannochloropsis i sp qh25 co product biomass can fully replace fishmeal in the feeds for rainbow trout i oncorhynchus mykiss i
topic aquafeed
fishmeal
microalgal co-product
defatted microalgae
aquaculture sustainability
rainbow trout
url https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/5/781
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