Structural environmental enrichment improves Nile tilapia flesh quality

International Aquatic Research

مقاله 3، دوره 16، شماره 3، آذر 2024، صفحه 233-243   

نوع مقاله: Original research

شناسه دیجیتال (DOI): 10.22034/iar.2024.2008534.1641

نویسندگان

João Favero Neto¹؛ Bruno Lala²؛ Carolina Santos³؛ Roberto de Oliveira Roça³؛ Rogério de Oliveira⁴؛ Caroline M Maia^{* 1}؛ Percilia Cardoso Giaquinto¹

¹CAUNESP – Aquaculture Center of UNESP, São Paulo State University, Jaboticabal, SP 14884-900, Brazil

²Department of Veterinary Science, University Center UniFatecie, Paranavaí, Brazil; Department of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, UNESP, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil

³Department of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, UNESP, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil

⁴Department of Biodiversity and Biostatistics, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, SP 18618‑689, Brazil

چکیده

Environmental enrichment is a reliable and useful tool for improving fish welfare in farms. Structural enrichment is widely studied and applied to fish, with positive effects also on the zootechnical parameters of fish farming. In our study, we examined whether artificial shelters and water hyacinth - structural enrichments - improve the quality of tilapia fillets. Tilapia juveniles (n = 480) underwent three independent treatments over 100 days: artificial water hyacinth enrichment, shelter enrichment, and control (no enrichment). After slaughtering, we evaluated physical-chemical indicators of meat quality. Whereas meat pH was not affected by the availability of enrichment, we found less lightness in terms of chroma b* of the flesh from tilapia raised with artificial water hyacinth and more flesh toughness in the texture of tilapia raised with shelter, indicating a higher-quality product. Regarding the fatty acid profile, differences were found when individually analyzed. All fatty acids that differed among treatments (C4:0, C23:0, C24:0, C16:1, and C24:1) exhibited better performance in groups reared with structural enrichment. In conclusion, improving Nile tilapia welfare with structural enrichment enhances its flesh quality. Thus, in addition to promoting the welfare of farmed fish, this enrichment may benefit both farmers and consumers.

کلیدواژه‌ها

aquaculture؛ fish farming؛ fish fillet؛ fish welfare؛ meat quality؛ Oreochromis niloticus