Search Results (198)

Global marine coastal aquaculture increased by 6.7 million tons in 2024, with whiteleg shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) dominating crustacean production. However, reliance on a single species raises sustainability concerns, particularly in the face of climate change. Diversifying shrimp farming by cultivating native species, such as the European brown shrimp (Crangon crangon), presents an opportunity to develop a sustainable blue bioeconomy in Europe. C. crangon holds significant commercial value, yet overexploitation has led to population declines. Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) offers a viable solution by utilizing fish farm wastewater as a nutrient source, reducing both costs and environmental impact. Research efforts in Germany and other European nations are exploring IMTA’s potential by co-culturing shrimp with species like sea bream, sea bass, and salmon. The physiological adaptability and omnivorous diet of C. crangon further support its viability in aquaculture. However, critical knowledge gaps remain regarding its lipid metabolism, early ontogeny, and reproductive biology—factors essential for optimizing captive breeding. Future interdisciplinary research should refine larval culture techniques and develop sustainable co-culture models. Expanding C. crangon aquaculture aligns with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals by enhancing food security, ecosystem resilience, and economic stability while reducing Europe’s reliance on seafood imports. Full article

The study aimed to identify potential sources of novel probiotic yeasts exhibiting health-promoting properties. A combination of metabarcoding analysis and cultural methods was employed to investigate and isolate yeasts from various sources, including rice wine, palm wine, fermented shrimp paste at different stages of natural fermentation, and lychee peels. The two analytical methods revealed distinct yeast profiles, and each source exhibited a unique composition of yeast species. Through metabarcoding and cultural methods, it was demonstrated that lychee peels harbored a greater diversity of genera compared to other sources. The evaluation of the probiotic properties of yeasts revealed that lychee peel yielded the highest proportion of isolates with potential probiotic activity (53.33%), followed by palm wine (25%), fermented shrimp paste (10%), and rice wine (9.09%). Moreover, yeast isolates with health-promoting properties as evaluated in this study, including Starmerella meliponinorum L12 and Pichia terricola L9 from lychee peels, demonstrated notable antioxidant activity and cholesterol-reducing properties, respectively. These findings represent the first report providing initial insights into the influence of yeast sources and serve as a guideline for the targeted selection of yeasts with specific probiotic and health-promoting attributes. Full article

Aquaculture is a crucial food-producing sector that can supply more essential nutrients to nourish the growing human population. However, it faces challenges, including limited water quality and space competition. These constraints have led to the intensification of culture systems for more efficient resource use while maintaining or increasing production levels. However, intensification introduces stress risks to cultured organisms by, for instance, overcrowding, waste accumulation, and water quality deterioration, which can negatively affect the growth, health, and immunity of animals and cause diseases. Additionally, environmental changes due to climate and anthropogenic activities further intensify the environmental stress for aquaculture organisms, including crustaceans. Shrimp are one of the most widely cultured and consumed farmed crustacea. Relative to aquatic vertebrates such as fish, the physiology of crustaceans has simpler physiological structures, as they lack a spinal cord. Consequently, their stress response mechanisms follow a single pathway, resulting in less complex responses to stress exposure compared to those of fish. While stress is considered a primary factor influencing the growth, health, and immunity of shrimp, comprehensive research on crustacean stress responses remains limited. Understanding the stress response at the organismal and cellular levels is essential to identify sensitive and effective stress biomarkers which can inform the development of targeted intervention strategies to mitigate stress. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the physiological changes that occur in crustaceans under stress, including hormonal, metabolic, hematological, hydromineral, and phenotypic alterations. By synthesizing current knowledge, this article aims to bridge existing gaps and provide insights into the stress response mechanisms, paving the way for advancements in crustacean health management. Full article

Food quality and safety are paramount in preserving the culinary authenticity and cultural integrity of Chinese cuisine, characterized by intricate ingredient combinations, diverse cooking techniques (e.g., stir-frying, steaming, and braising), and region-specific flavor profiles. Traditional non-destructive detection methods often struggle with the unique challenges posed by Chinese dishes, including complex textural variations in staple foods (e.g., noodles, dumplings), layered seasoning compositions (e.g., soy sauce, Sichuan peppercorns), and oil-rich cooking media. This study pioneers a hyperspectral imaging framework enhanced with domain-specific deep learning algorithms (spatial–spectral convolutional networks with attention mechanisms) to address these challenges. Our approach effectively deciphers the subtle spectral fingerprints of Chinese-specific ingredients (e.g., fermented black beans, lotus root) and quantifies critical quality indicators, achieving an average classification accuracy of 97.8% across 15 major Chinese dish categories. Specifically, the model demonstrates high precision in quantifying chili oil content in Mapo Tofu with a Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 0.43% w/w and assessing freshness gradients in Cantonese dim sum (Shrimp Har Gow) with a classification accuracy of 95.2% for three distinct freshness levels. This approach leverages the detailed spectral information provided by hyperspectral imaging to automate the classification and detection of Chinese dishes, significantly improving both the accuracy of image-based food classification by >15 percentage points compared to traditional RGB methods and enhancing food quality safety assessment. Full article

Terasi is a traditional Indonesian fermented condiment made from rebon shrimp and salt. This study investigated the effects of Tetragenococcus halophilus inoculation and varying salt concentrations (6%, 12%, and 18%) on the physicochemical and sensory properties of terasi, compared to a non-inoculated control (25% salt), after 7, 14, and 21 days of fermentation. Inoculation decreased pH, soluble protein, and texture while increasing N-amino acid content, moisture, lactic acid bacteria (LAB), and color darkening. Higher salt levels raised pH, soluble protein, and texture but reduced N-amino acids, moisture, and LAB, resulting in a lighter color. LAB activity peaked on day 7, with moisture and texture increasing over time. Sensory analysis favored inoculated samples, and TOPSIS identified terasi with T. halophilus, 6% salt, and 7 days of fermentation as optimal in quality and preference. This formulation also demonstrated strong bioactivity, including antioxidant activity (3.90 mg AEAC/g sample by DPPH assay and 8.76 ± 0.22 mg AEAC/g sample by FRAP assay), antidiabetic potential via α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition (IC₅₀ of 1.95 and 7.24 mg/mL), and antimicrobial effects against E. coli (32.78 mm) and S. aureus (30.85 mm). These results suggest that T. halophilus-inoculated terasi offers enhanced quality and functional properties, supporting its potential as a health-promoting fermented food product. Full article

Excess selenium (Se) can cause a variety of toxic effects in aquatic animals. However, there is currently a lack of comprehensive studies about the toxicity effects of Se in culture water on shrimp. Based on the 96 h acute toxicity test, which confirmed the 96 h LC₅₀ of Se (Na₂SeO₃) for Litopenaeus vannamei as 2.69 mg/L, L. vannamei (7.25 ± 0.05 g) were divided into three groups (named CON, S1 and S2) and exposed to Se at concentrations of 0, 0.0269 (0.01 × 96 h LC₅₀), and 0.269 (0.1 × 96 h LC₅₀) mg/L in the water for 72 h, respectively. The toxic effects of Se exposure on L. vannamei were evaluated based on histopathology, oxidative stress, immunity, apoptosis, transcriptional responses, and intestinal microbiota. Results demonstrated that Se exposure induced structural damage to the hepatopancreas of L. vannamei, including hepatocyte vacuolation and necrosis. Compared to the CON group, serum Caspase-3 activity significantly increased, while Bcl-2 activity markedly decreased in the S1 and S2 groups (p < 0.05). No significant differences in Bax activity were observed among groups (p > 0.05). ROS content, as well as activities of SOD, PO, GSH-PX, LYS, AKP, and ACP, exhibited an upward trend under Se exposure (p < 0.05). However, MDA levels showed no significant intergroup differences (p > 0.05). Hemocyte transcriptomic analysis revealed 2103 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (1294 upregulated, 809 downregulated) in the S2 group compared to CON. GO enrichment indicated significant enrichment of DEGs in cellular processes, binding, and cell components. KEGG pathway analysis highlighted prominent enrichment in ribosome biogenesis in eukaryotes, lysosome, cell cycle, and pancreatic secretion pathways. Intestinal microbiota analysis showed that the Shannon, Simpson, and Pielou indices in the S2 group were significantly lower than those in the CON group (p < 0.05). The relative abundance of Vibrio and Acinetobacter increased significantly in the S2 group, while Enterococcus and Pseudomonas decreased markedly (p < 0.05). In conclusion, Se exposure triggered elevated immune enzyme activities, induced oxidative damage and apoptosis, transcriptional level metabolic disorders, and disrupted intestinal microbiota structure in L. vannamei. Full article

This study investigated the effects of culture density on the phytoplankton communities in an integrated culture model of the blood clam Tegillarca granosa and Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. Two treatments were set up: L (L. vannamei 18 ind/m², T. granosa 33 ind/m²) and H (L. vannamei 36 ind/m², T. granosa 66 ind/m²). The management methods were the same during the experimental period, and the feed intake was determined according to L. vannamei. The results showed that there were more than 38 species of phytoplankton in the ponds, belonging to six phyla and 28 genera; the diversity index of the phytoplankton was higher in the early stage of the experiment and lower in the later stage; the average biomass of phytoplankton was 21.74 × 10⁴ ind/L; and the culture density had no significant effect on water quality. This study showed that a reasonable increase in culture density would not cause significant adverse effects on the environment. It is possible to increase the stocking density of shrimp with the mollusk without causing inadequate conditions for the phytoplankton community and water quality. Full article

Microbial communities in RASs play a critical role in maintaining water quality and supporting shrimp growth, development, and health. However, their dynamics, particularly in commercial systems, remain poorly understood. This study aimed to improve the understanding of bacterial community dynamics during shrimp culture in RASs. High-throughput amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA, PERMANOVA, PCoA, and other statistical analyses were used to investigate the bacterial dynamics. The entire succession process was categorized into three distinct phases, the initial, middle, and final phases, during the shrimp rearing in RASs to elucidate the spatial–temporal dynamics of the bacterial communities. Alpha diversity indicates the evenness of the bacterial community increased in the initial phase, while richness peaked in the middle phase. Notable taxonomic and functional groups within the bacterial community contributed to significant variations in the relative abundance of community composition across these phases. The dominant bacterial phyla in both water and biofilm included Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, Bacteroidota, and Patescibacteria. The dominant orders in both environments were Corynebacteriales, Burkholderiales, Rhodobacterales, Flavobacteriales, Saccharimonadales, and Micrococcales. Key bacterial taxa such as Pseudomonas, Mycobacterium, and Hydrogenophaga were critical for microbial community assembly, nutrient cycling, biodegradation, and water quality monitoring. Nitrite, ammonium, and nitrate were positively correlated with Mycobacterium, Rheinheimera, Taeseokela, and Thermomonas, while negatively correlated with the Cloacibacterium community composition. These findings expand our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of bacterial community succession in RASs with intensive rearing of shrimp and suggest that stabilizing environmental variables could be a useful management tool for promoting and maintaining healthy aquaculture environments. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the continuous use of the settling chamber for solids removal in the cultivation of the marine shrimp Penaeus vannamei and the halophyte Salicornia neei in an aquaponic system with bioflocs. Two treatments were tested: with settling and without settling. Each experimental unit consisted of an 800 L tank for shrimp rearing (stocking density of 375 shrimp m⁻³) and a hydroponic bench of 0.33 m² for 28 seedlings (84 plants m⁻²). In the treatment without settling, water was continuously pumped to the hydroponic bench. In the treatment with settling, the water was first pumped to the chamber, and the overflow was then distributed across each irrigation channel, returning to the tank by gravity. To maintain the concentration of suspended solids in the shrimp culture, solids that accumulated in the settling chamber were pumped back into the tank every 30 min. During the 54-day trial, the reduction in suspended solids in the treatment with settling led to an increase in TAN and NO₂ levels, while the concentration of NO₃ remained stable. Although water quality parameters were more stable in the treatment without settling, no significant differences were observed between the treatments regarding plant and shrimp production indices. These results demonstrate the feasibility of cultivating P. vannamei and S. neei in a biofloc-based aquaponic system without the continuous use of a settling chamber during the pre-grow phase (until 10 g), offering a potential method for simplifying aquaponic system design. Full article

A significant body of controlled laboratory research suggests different biological mechanisms by which the low-cost co-culture of seaweed and shrimp could improve sustainability whilst increasing income for the many poor pond farmers of South-East Asia. However, at the pond level, production and cost–benefit assessments remain largely lacking. Here, we studied the extensive co-culture of Gracilariopsis longissima seaweed and Penaeus monodon shrimp on pond production output, nutrient concentrations, and farm income on the north coast of Java, Indonesia. Co-culture showed 18% higher seaweed production during the first cycle (2261.0 ± 348.0 kg·ha⁻¹) and 27% higher production during the second (2,361.0 ± 127.3 kg·ha⁻¹) compared to monoculture. Shrimp production per cycle was 53.8% higher in co-culture (264.4 ± 47.6 kg·ha⁻¹) than in single-species cultivation (171.7 ± 10.4 kg·ha⁻¹). Seaweed agar content and gel strength did not differ between treatments, and neither did shrimp bacterial or heavy metals concentrations. The profit of co-culture was, respectively, 156% and 318% compared to single-species seaweed and shrimp cultivation. Co-cultivation lowered nutrient loading in the pond water and in the sediment and is argued to be a low-investment and environmentally friendly option for poor pond farmers to improve their income and financial resilience through product diversification. Full article

With the development of the aquatic products processing industry, 6–8 million tons of shrimp and crab shell waste are produced globally annually, but, due to the lack of high-value conversion technology, crab shells are often discarded in large quantities as a by-product of processing. Pseudomonas-based microbial cell factories are capable of biosynthesis of high-value products using a wide range of substrates; however, there is currently no reliable fermentation model for producing high-value chemicals using crab shell waste by Pseudomonas strains. In this study, we first explored the culture conditions of shell fermentation using KT2440 through single-factor and orthogonal experiments, and the optimized fermentation parameters obtained are given as follows: a temperature of 30 °C, fermentation time of 42 h, substrate solid–liquid ratio of 7%, and rotational speed of 200 rpm. After optimization, the maximum cell growth was increased by 64.39% from 350.67 × 10⁸ CFU/mL to 576.44 × 10⁸ CFU/mL. Combined with engineering modification, two engineered strains, KT_+IV and KT_+lasBT, expressing exogenous proteases, were obtained, and the maximum growth was increased from 316.44 × 10⁸ CFU/mL to 1268.44 × 10⁸ CFU/mL and 616.89 × 10⁸ CFU/mL, which were 300.84% and 94.94% higher, respectively. In addition, the engineered strain KT_+NtrcT-D55E, which regulates nitrogen metabolism, was obtained, and the accumulation of intracellular polyhydroxy fatty acid esters (PHA) was increased from 20.00 mg/L to 78.58 mg/L, which was a significant increase of 292.93% relative to the control group. This study provides a theoretical basis and technical support for the high-value utilization of shrimp and crab shell resources and the development of environmentally friendly bioproducts. Full article

This study aimed to isolate AHL-degrading bacteria from the intestine of Penaeus vannamei and evaluate their ability to control pathogenic Vibrio harveyi in P. vannamei larvae. Twenty-seven isolates were obtained from the digestive tract of healthy Pacific white shrimp juveniles (P. vannamei) after six cycles of pasteurization at 70 °C, but only three isolates (E₁LP₂, E₂LP₁, and E₂LP₂) could degrade AHL. The 16S sequence results gave a high identity (>95%) with Bacillus sp. The isolates exhibited quorum-quenching abilities by degrading AHLs, thereby disrupting Vibrio quorum sensing and virulence. In Zoea and Mysis, the challenged larvae plus the administration of E₁LP₂ resulted in the lowest survival compared to the other groups. Isolates degrading N-acyl homoserine lactone improved the survival of shrimp Zoea and Mysis larvae when challenged with pathogenic V. harveyi. This is the first report on the use of quorum-sensing disrupter bacteria in P. vannamei larval shrimp culture. Our findings suggest that these Bacillus spp. strains have potential as biocontrol agents for sustainable shrimp aquaculture, reducing the reliance on antibiotics while mitigating vibriosis outbreaks. Full article

To study the factors affecting Penaeus vannamei production in small-scale greenhouse ponds, four ponds in Jiangmen, Guangdong Province, China were selected. This study investigated the variation in the characteristics of bacterial communities and pathogens in pond water and shrimp intestines, as well as water quality factors during the culture stage. Multivariate linear regression equations were used to analyse the potential factors affecting production. The nitrite concentration reached its peak in the mid-culture stage, with a maximum of 16.3 mg·L⁻¹, whereas total nitrogen and salinity were highest in the late culture stage, reaching 48.4 mg·L⁻¹ and 26, respectively. The dominant bacteria in the pond water were Marivita and Rhodobacteraceae, whereas in the shrimp intestines, they were Bacillus and Candidatus Bacilloplasma. The nitrifying bacteria in the pond water were dominated by Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter. Pathogens detected in the pond water included acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND), Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP), and white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). The counts of EHP and the relative abundance of Ardenticatenales_norank and Marivita in the pond were the main factors affecting the shrimp production (p < 0.01). This study indicates that establishing optimal bacterial communities, such as Marivita, Nitrobacter, and Rhodobacteraceae, and controlling the counts of EHP and AHPND pathogens is crucial for regulating the pond environment and enhancing production. Full article

Vibrio parahaemolyticus (V. parahaemolyticus) is one of the most prevalent foodborne pathogens worldwide. Hexanal is a natural aldehyde derived from plants. In this study, the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of hexanal against V. parahaemolyticus were investigated. Hexanal inhibited V. parahaemolyticus growth with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.4 mg/mL. Hexanal (2 MIC and 4 MIC) increased the leakage of protein and lactic dehydrogenase, reduced intracellular ATP concentration, damaged membrane integrity, and induced abnormal V. parahaemolyticus morphology and ultrastructure. The results of colony enumeration suggested that hexanal exhibited bactericidal action against V. parahaemolyticus in different culture mediums and food systems (Spanish mackerel meat and shrimp paste). At 1/8 MIC and 1/4 MIC, hexanal inhibited biofilm formation of V. parahaemolyticus, as evidenced by crystal violet staining assay and scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation. Moreover, hexanal reduced the levels of extracellular polysaccharide, extracellular protein, and cyclic di-guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP) in V. parahaemolyticus. The result of real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) indicated that hexanal downregulated the expression of genes critical to V. parahaemolyticus biofilm development. This study provides a promising alternative for V. parahaemolyticus control and is conducive to promoting the application of hexanal in the food field. Full article

The msbB gene, encoding a lipid A phosphatease, is crucial for lipopolysaccharide (LPS) synthesis in Gram-negative bacteria and plays a critical role in their virulence. This study investigated the role of msbB in Vibrio parahaemolyticus, a significant marine pathogen causing gastroenteritis in humans and infections in aquatic animals. We constructed an msbB deletion mutant (ΔmsbB) and a complementary strain (CΔmsbB) using homologous recombination. The growth, outer membrane permeability, stress and antibiotic sensitivity, biofilm formation, swarming motility, and virulence of the wild-type (WT), ΔmsbB, and CΔmsbB strains were assessed. Additionally, the pathogenicity of ΔmsbB was evaluated using L. vannamei shrimp models. The results showed that the msbB gene was successfully deleted and complemented, and its deletion did not impair bacterial growth. However, the ΔmsbB strain exhibited an increased outer membrane permeability, reduced resistance to stresses and antibiotics, defective biofilm formation, and a reduced swarming motility. In a Tetrahymena co-culture, the ΔmsbB strain showed attenuated virulence. In shrimp infected with the ΔmsbB strain, the cumulative mortality rate was 22%, significantly lower than the 62% observed in the WT strain. Moreover, the expression levels of immune-related genes in the shrimp hepatopancreas were significantly lower in the ΔmsbB group, indicating a significant reduction in infection capability and pathogenicity. These findings indicate that the msbB gene is critical for the virulence of V. parahaemolyticus and suggest that msbB is a potential target for therapeutic interventions and vaccine development against V. parahaemolyticus infections. Full article