In collaboration with Ghent University, a study on larval shrimp nutrition examined the assimilation and dynamics of lipid compounds during feeding. Biochemical screening was conducted on both the diets and on Litopenaeus vannamei larvae and postlarvae that consumed them. The screening included in-depth fatty acid (FA) profiling and f ractioning into glycolipids, phospholipids and neutral lipids . A non-metric multidimensional scaling method was used to visualize similarity. Statistical analysis revealed that shrimp FA profiles reflected diet composition (Fig. 1). The best-performing feed was distinguished by three specific FA (not HUFAs). In shrimp samples, phospholipids (structural lipids linked to growth ) responded differently to diets than glycolipids (involved in energy storage).
A second study assessed ontogenetic shifts in energy needs and allocation. Diets significantly influenced FA profiles in zoea and mysis stages, while postlarvae showed greater variability. Dietary lipids particularly impacted growth during early stages.
This research identified key fatty acids driving growth and clarified the distinct roles of phospholipids and glycolipids, offering insights for optimizing shrimp feed formulations in function of larval stage and the feed’s targeted function (e.g. growth, robustness).