Published in Scientific Papers. Series D. Animal Science, Vol. LXVIII, Issue 1
Written by Alina Nicoleta MACOVEIU (DOBRE), Mirela CREȚU, Maria Desimira STROE, Lorena DEDIU
The world faces a critical challenge in ensuring sufficient food production to meet the needs of a growing global population while maintaining nutritional quality and promoting environmental sustainability. Among sustainable food sources, seaweed, particularly the genus Ulva, has emerged as a promising solution due to its nutritional composition, abundance, and accessibility. However, integrating Ulva into animal feeds presents challenges, including nutritional value variability and indigestible polysaccharides, which reduce energy availability. This review explores the potential of Ulva sp. as an ecological and nutritious ingredient for aquaculture. It highlights the need for optimized nutritional strategies and processing technologies to increase protein content and improve nutrient digestibility. The actual status of the biochemical composition of Ulva and its benefits in commercial fish feed are emphasized, focusing on fish growth performance, stress resistance, immune function, and gut microbiota health. Drawing on over 50 studies, the review underscores positive trends. It identifies optimal inclusion levels for Ulva in fish diets, aiming to enhance digestibility and functional properties while addressing sustainability goals in aquaculture.
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