What is Probiotics? and its use in Aquaculture

Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic organisms by intervention in the rearing process to enhance production and private ownership of the stock being cultivated.

Compared to fishing, this activity allows a selective increase in the production of species used for human consumption, industry or sport fishing.

Due to overfishing of wild populations, aquaculture has become an economic activity of great importance around the world. Aquaculture's contribution to world food production, raw materials for industrial and pharmaceutical use, and aquatic organisms for stocking or ornamental trade has increased dramatically in recent decades.

Probiotic is a relatively new term which is used to name microorganisms that are associated with the beneficial effects for the host. Kozasa made the first empirical application of probiotics in aquaculture

Knowledge of probiotics has increased, currently it is known that these microorganisms have an antimicrobial effect through modifying the intestinal microbiota, secreting antibacterial substances (bacteriocins and organic acids), competing with pathogens to prevent their adhesion to the intestine, competing for nutrients necessary for pathogen survival, and producing an antitoxin effect.

Probiotics are also capable of modulating the immune system, regulating allergic response of the body, and reducing proliferation of cancer in mammals. Because of this, when provided at certain concentration and viability, probiotics favorably affect host health