Bile acids in aquaculture nutrition: Enhancing growth, nutrient utilization, and sustainability

Abstract

Ensuring food and nutritional security is top for global food-producing sectors among projections of a 60% increase in food consumption by 2050 due to population growth. To address this challenge sustainably, the food and feed industry must conserve resources while feeding a growing population. Mechanically stable farming practices are recommended by the FAO to meet this demand. Intensive aquaculture, crucial for meeting nutritional needs, relies on cost-effective and nutritionally balanced fish feed. Bile acids (BAs) is complex physiological particles which aiding lipid absorption and digestion and play a vital role in aquaculture nutrition. BAs enhance growth, nutrient assimilation, and regulate gut microbiota in aquatic species. However, plant-based feed lacks necessary components for optimal BA production, affecting lipid utilization and growth in fish. Supplementation of plant-based feeds with BAs shows promise in improving fish growth and nutrient utilization, although with varying effects on different species. Additionally, BAs influence lipid metabolism, biochemical composition, and body indices in aquatic organisms, impacting growth and lipid levels. Furthermore, BAs influence gut microbiota composition and organ histomorphology, with implications for overall health and disease resistance in fish. Understanding the role of BAs in aquaculture nutrition is critical for developing sustainable feeding systems that may meet rising food demand while reducing resource use and environmental impact.