PLANT EXTRACTS
Use of selected polyphenols to improve fish reproductive performance Joseph Bernot, Paul Engler, Nor-Feed
Current farming conditions: Why do they generate stress? Compared to livestock species, the domestication of most fish species for aquaculture is recent. The rapid progress in nutrition and genetic selection lead to great improvement in growth rates in aquatic species. The trade-off of these increased metabolic rates is a proportional increase in harmful radical species production. This results in heightened pressure on the organism. This can lead to an imbalance between radical species and antioxidant defenses, known as oxidative stress. Free radicals and oxidative stress Free radicals are molecules or atoms with unstable electron pairings. Most are produced at
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the mitochondrial level via the respiration chain. Free radicals play an important role in the body in gene regulation, cellular signaling, and apoptosis. However, when present in excessive amounts, they attack surrounding molecules to scavenge their electrons, causing damage to macromolecules such as lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. When mismanaged, it results in visible impacts on performance, immunity, and meat quality. This is why the antioxidant system exists.
The role of an antioxidant Antioxidants are molecules stable enough to donate an electron to a free radical, thereby neutralizing it. They can thus terminate chain reactions caused by free radicals. In other words, they act as “bodyguards”
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 16 Issue 2 2024