Different β-glucans improve the growth performance and bacterial resistance in Nile tilapia

The role of glucan as a biologically active immunomodulator has been well documented for more than 40 years. However, the wide diversity of beta-glucan forms and the extraction process has implications for the benefits of these compounds. Biorigin developed two samples of beta-glucans using different biotechnological processes. Thus, in the present study, we fed Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) diets containing these two beta-glucan molecules (BG01 and BG02) for 30 days prior to bacterial infection with Streptococcus agalactiae. The results showed that the different beta-glucan samples exhibited biologically differently behaviors, but both increased the resistance against bacterial infection. Specifically, BG01 increased immunostimulation, while BG02 improved growth performance. In summary, these findings confirm the benefits of beta-glucans in aquaculture and also provide further evidence of the growth promotion of these compounds. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.