Tienen, Belgium – Onda, a leading contract research organization in aquatic animal health, in collaboration with Citribel, a Belgian citric acid & mycelium producer, announces breakthrough findings demonstrating that Aspergillus niger mycelium-derived β-glucan (Mycofence®) enhances disease resistance in Atlantic salmon. The study by Dr. Fabio Zanuzzo and his team, compared the efficacy of Mycofence® against commercial yeast β-glucan in combating ulcerative diseases caused by Tenacibaculum maritimum and Moritella viscosa.
Study Design
The study involved feeding Atlantic salmon with diets containing different levels of Mycofence® and commercial yeast β-glucan. Following a five-week feeding phase, the fish underwent an immersion challenge with T. maritimum or and M. viscosa. Growth performance, mortality rates, lesion scores, hematology, and immune markers were meticulously analyzed.
Key Findings
- Higher Survival Rates: Salmon fed with Mycofence® had a significantly higher survival rate compared to the control, while the fish fed with the commercial glucan derived from yeast had no difference from the control.
- Enhanced Immune Response: Mycofence® led to a marked up-regulation of the cr3 transcript expression, crucial for immune response and β-glucan recognition, providing insights into the mechanisms driving enhanced disease resistance.
Results
- Mortality Reduction: Mycofence® reduced the risk of death from a T. maritimum infection by 42.6% compared to control group. As well, Mycofence® at 0.3% reduced the risk of death from M. viscosa outbreak by 31% compared to the control group. Mycofence® had a higher performance compared to commercial yeast β-glucan.
- No Growth Performance Impact: There were no significant differences in weight and growth performance between the diet groups.
Conclusion
Dr. Zanuzzo concluded, “Our research clearly demonstrates that Mycofence®, a novel β-glucan derived from Aspergillus niger, significantly improves the immune response and survival rates of Atlantic salmon during ulcerative disease outbreaks. These findings provide a promising alternative to commercial yeast β-glucan and can greatly benefit aquaculture practices.”
Onda and Citribel are committed to advancing aquaculture health and sustainability through innovative research and development.
About Onda: Onda Research is a contract research organization specializing in Aquaculture research and trials. Onda offers bespoke bench top and in-tank trials and challenges for a variety of species at both our Souris & Victoria, PEI locations, presenting our clients with custom made solutions to the challenges they are facing with best-in-class industry expertise and experience. Onda holds a variety of certifications including, GLP, GMP, ACQ3 & ACQ2, integrating our customized service offering with the highest quality of work. Quality, consistency, and reliability are traits that we at Onda pride ourselves in providing through each interaction with our clients. From idea to solution, Onda provides expertise, guidance, and navigation during the product licensing process.
About Citribel: Citribel, based in Tienen, Belgium, is a leading biotech company that produces of citric acid and mycelium. Using advanced technology, Citribel transforms fungal biomass into high-value ingredients for various industries.
Contact Information: Onda 20 Hope St. Souris, PE C0A 2B0, Canada Or Citribel, Pastorijstraat 249, 3300 Tienen, Belgium
