The Application of Fermented Rice Bran and Its Influence on Aquatic Species: A Dynamic Study

Rice bran is usually discarded during milling as a waste, which is a global concern. Nonetheless, innovative conversion technologies have surfaced to efficiently convert this waste into valuable animal feed. Rice bran is rich in bioactive substances such as γ-oryzanol, tocotrienols, and tocopherols. However, the presence of antinutritional factors, decreased nutrient bioavailability, indigestible particles, and microbial contamination have impacted the use of this waste in fish feed. To eliminate this aforementioned factor, applying the fermentation process to address these issues could benefit this waste to be incorporated into fish feed. Numerous studies have also demonstrated that fermentation increases the palatability and digestibility of feed, improves its nutrient availability and bioavailability, and removes antinutritional compounds from dietary feed ingredients, making them easier to digest. All of these benefits eventually lead to improved fish growth and health performance. Therefore, if sustainable aquaculture is to be accomplished, accelerating the usage of fermented feedstuffs as aquafeed is crucial. This chapter reviews nutritional and antinutritional value, factors that are considered during fermentation of rice bran for aquaculture production. Also, this chapter has a detailed discussion of the dynamics of fermented rice bran for fish aquaculture species concerning growth, feed utilization, gut microbiota composition, and immunology. The article also discusses potential setbacks related to the process of fermenting rice bran.