Seaweed as Alternative Preservatives for Aquafeed in Asian Aquaculture

By 2050, feeding a population of 9.7 billion amid climate change poses challenges. Fish, crucial for sustenance, face threats like overfishing and climate impacts, prompting growth in aquaculture. Particularly in Asia and Africa, aquaculture expands due to dwindling fisheries. However, maintaining aquafeed quality poses sustainability hurdles. This chapter examines seaweed’s role as a natural preservative in Asian aquaculture. Seaweed, abundant in bioactive compounds and nutrients, offers antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and antioxidant properties, enhancing aquafeed preservation. Compounds like carrageenan and alginates from seaweed improve feed stability and texture. Seaweed integration in aquafeed brings benefits such as reduced reliance on synthetic preservatives, better feed quality, and enhanced growth rates for aquatic species like fish and shrimp. Despite these advantages, challenges persist, including optimizing seaweed formulations, ensuring feed safety, and scaling production. Leveraging seaweed’s properties can boost the sustainability and efficiency of Asian aquaculture. Further research and industry efforts are needed to fully exploit seaweed’s potential, bolstering the resilience of global food systems.