The working hypothesis of ALGADOURADA project is that micro-addition of seaweed and/or their extracts in gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) diet may modulate the fish welfare by increasing the antioxidant defenses, regulating the intestinal ecology, and improving the nutrient retention. Seaweed diets may promote an increased in fish resistance to infectious diseases with better economic performance in aquaculture production. The aim of the project is to determine which physiological / metabolic functions are enhanced by seaweed, crucial for increasing fish production as well as reduced mortality under adverse conditions.

In this context, the project ALGADOURADA will perform the following tasks:

1. Production of seaweed;

2. Screening, selection, and bio-prospecting of extracts and active biomolecules;

3. Formulation of dietary treatments and microencapsulation of seaweed products;

4. Evaluation of growth and protective effects of diets with seaweed products in gilthead seabream reared under different stress conditions, including a trial under commercial fish culture conditions.

Task 2 will focus on the in vitro validation of prebiotic properties of seaweed extracts and its bioprospecting values. In Task 4, we will carry out in vivo trial to evaluate the effects of the extracts on biometric parameters and selected biomarkers associated with the immune defense system, detoxification, antioxidant processes and energy production in seabream. The results will be validated for the interactions between dietary seaweed supplementation and stressors in, a multimodal approach.