Dietary inclusion of banana flower in aquafeeds: histological effects in tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

Abstract

Fish feed represent generally the most expensive production cost in aquaculture. Currently much of the research in aquaculture is focused on the search for sustainable substitutes for fish meal and oils, with interesting alternatives from new vegetable by-products. One of these is generated by the cultivation of bananas, with which the Life Baqua project is working, whose main objective is to establish a new model of circular economy for the use of this waste. The aim is to develop antioxidant additives to complement the preparation of feed for fish in aquaculture. The species chosen for the study are tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), which are fed various diets composed of different levels of by-product. A histopathological study of liver was subsequently carried out to determine the effect of the different diets on the fish.