Impact of dietary microalgal oil supplementation on gut microbiota and nutritional quality of sea bream

This study investigates the effects of two doses of microalgal oil supplementation on the growth, microbiota composition, and fillet quality of juvenile sea bream (Sparus aurata). Juvenile sea bream were fed diets supplemented with two different doses of microalgal oil (low dose: 0.4% and high dose: 2%) for 90 days. The microbiota composition in the gut of the fish was analyzed using shotgun metagenomic sequencing to assess the impact of microalgal oil on microbial diversity and abundance. Additionally, the quality of the fish fillets was evaluated focusing on fatty acid profile. Results showed significant alterations in the gut microbiota. Both doses of microalgal oil enhanced the omega-3 fatty acid content in the fillets. This study highlights the potential of microalgal oil to improve the nutritional quality of sea bream fillets through enhanced omega-3 content.