Employment of Marine Polysaccharides to Manufacture Functional Biocomposites for Aquaculture Feeding Applications |
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| Authors: | Marina Paolucci Gabriella Fasulo Maria Grazia Volpe |
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| Institution: | 1.Istituto di Scienze dell’Alimentazione—CNR Via Roma 52, 83100 Avellino, Italy; E-Mails: (M.P.); (G.F.);2.Department of Science and Technologies, University of Sannio, Via Port’Arsa, 11, 82100 Benevento, Italy |
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| Abstract: | In this study, polysaccharides of marine origin (agar, alginate and κ-carrageenan) were used to embed nutrients to fabricate biocomposites to be employed in animal feeding. The consistency of biocomposites in water has been evaluated up to 14 days, by several methods: swelling, nutrient release and granulometric analysis. Biocomposites were produced with varying percentages of nutrients (5%–25%) and polysaccharides (1%–2%–3%). All possible biopolymer combinations were tested in order to select those with the best network strength. The best performing biocomposites were those manufactured with agar 2% and nutrients 10%, showing the lowest percentage of water absorption and nutrient release. Biocomposites made of agar 2% and nutrients 10% were the most stable in water and were therefore used to analyze their behavior in water with respect to the release of quercetin, a phenolic compound with demonstrated high antibacterial and antioxidant activities. The leaching of such molecules in water was therefore employed as a further indicator of biocomposite water stability. Altogether, our results confirm the suitability of agar as a binder for biocomposites and provide a positive contribution to aquaculture. |
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| Keywords: | functional biocomposites quercetin release aquaculture applications welfare fish |
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