PARTNER FEATURE ▶▶▶
Improving immune performance in aquaculture, by feeding algae
Recent research results show the potential of in-feed marine macroalgae polysaccharides for improving immune performance in aquaculture.
BY MARÍA GARCÍA SUÁREZ, FOR FEED PRODUCT SPECIALIST, OLMIX GROUP
Figure 1. A sea- weed sulfated polysaccharide structure is re- sponsible for a high level of bio- logical activities
M
acroalgae (seaweeds) play a key role in shaping the marine underwater world, from the sea- shore down to depths where there is enough light for them to grow. Seaweeds are widely
used in the food industry as gelifying, thickening and stabilis- ing agents due to their specific physico-chemical properties. Recent scientific work has revealed the potential of in-feed marine macroalgae polysaccharides as reliable agents for modulating the immune function and reinforcing the
Unique structural features Seaweeds are divided into three groups: brown, red and green algae. Despite their phylogenetic differences, seaweeds share the specificity of their parietal polysaccharides, whose structural complexity and unique composition make them very reactive and explain their bioactivities in relation to animals, plants and humans. The complexity and reactivity of seaweed polysaccharides derive from the nature of sugar units, which are diverse and sometimes rare, such as uronic acids, xylose and rhamnose. The variety of glycosidic bonds leading to their branched structure and the presence of sulfate groups determines the bioactivities of these molecules (Figure 1). Furthermore, their polyanionic structure and solubility increase their reactivity and facilitate their recognition by host cells. The main types of seaweed polysaccharides are agar and car- rageenans (red seaweeds), ulvans (green seaweeds) and fu- cans (brown seaweeds), each of which have specific molecu- lar traits which determine their biological properties and reactivity. This is why it is important to identify which types of polysaccharides are responsible for a given bioactivity, with the aim of extracting and using them for achieving targeted health effects. Olmix Group marine bioactive ingredient extraction know- how has led to the development of an in-feed product, Algi- mun, which is based on a combination of two bioactive mac- roalgal extracts: MSP®Barrier, a red algal extract, which enhances the gut barrier function; and MSP®Immunity, a green algal extract, that modulates innate and adaptive im-
16 ▶ ALL ABOUT FEED | Volume 28, No. 6, 2020
intestinal barrier function of animals. These are seen as inno- vative strategies that can lead to greater resilience in animals before stress events such as transport, sorting and vaccina- tions; they can also help during disease risk periods and when facing environmental challenges.
PHOTO: OLMIX
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