The aquaculture industry is evolving rapidly to meet global food demands while addressing challenges related to animal health, welfare, and production efficiency. Among emerging strategies, postbiotics, which are nonviable microbial derivatives with bioactive properties, are gaining attention for their ability to reduce disease incidence, improve survival, and enhance overall productivity. Their stability during feed processing and storage, combined with a favorable safety profile, makes them a practical and effective option for sustainable aquaculture practices.
In 2 trials with white leg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei), dietary inclusion of a postbiotic product significantly improved survival and physiological robustness under Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS) and White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) challenges, including salinity stress. Postbiotic-fed shrimp exhibited reduced mortality, improved gut and hepatopancreatic condition, and enhanced resistance to environmental and infectious stressors. These benefits translated into improved welfare and production efficiency, supporting the role of postbiotics in reducing economic losses due to disease.
Building on these in vivo results, and to support the introduction of postbiotics products into non-crustacean aquaculture species, an ex vivo screening platform was applied using fish gut explants. This model enables, among others, the evaluation of immunomodulatory and barrier-enhancing effects of the postbiotic product across a range of doses. In the experiments, gene expression was assessed for markers related to immune response (IL-1β, IL-8, TNFα, INFγ), antioxidant defense (GR, GPx), and epithelial integrity (TJP1, OCL, CLDN15 , Tric ). The ex vivo platform provides a scalable and mechanistic approach to validate functional feed ingredients in fish species under controlled conditions.
Together, these studies demonstrate the cross-species potential of postbiotics as sustainable, health-promoting agents in aquaculture. The integration of in vivo and ex vivo approaches offers a robust framework for evaluating and optimizing functional feed additives that support animal welfare and productivity across diverse production systems.