Employment of marine polysaccharides to manufacture functional biocomposites for aquaculture feeding applications.
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.
Istituto di Scienze dell'Alimentazione-CNR Via Roma 52, 83100 Avellino, Italy. paolucci@unisannio.it.|Department of Science and Technologies, University of Sannio, Via Port'Arsa, 11, 82100 Benevento, Italy. paolucci@unisannio.it.
Marina
M
Paolucci
Istituto di Scienze dell'Alimentazione-CNR Via Roma 52, 83100 Avellino, Italy. gabriella.fasulo@isa.cnr.it.
Gabriella
G
Fasulo
Istituto di Scienze dell'Alimentazione-CNR Via Roma 52, 83100 Avellino, Italy. mgvolpe@isa.cnr.it.
Maria Grazia
MG
Volpe
D000362:Agar / Q000737:chemistry; D000821:Animal Feed; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry; D017756:Aquaculture / Q000379:methods*; D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000737:chemistry*; D001704:Biopolymers / Q000737:chemistry; D005502:Food; D019800:Phenol / Q000737:chemistry; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry*; D011794:Quercetin / Q000737:chemistry; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D001704:Biopolymers; D011134:Polysaccharides; D014867:Water; D019800:Phenol; D000362:Agar; D011794:Quercetin