SBIR-STTR Award

Aquaculture production of penaeid shrimp larvae is constrained by costly and unreliable supplies of live food, especially Artemia nauplii. Despite Japanese and European commercialization of high quality larval feeds, a complete replacement for Artemia has not yet emerged. Larval shrimp production continues to be an industry bottleneck. The researchers will formulate and test a complex microencapsulated feed consisting of microcapsules and high-quality macronutrients stabilized within 45 to 500 um microgel particles. Microcapsules will contain water-soluble micronutrients in the payload (core material). Microgel particles will consist of a protein-enriched hydrocolloid matrix. Unlike permeable crosslinked protein microcapsules, our complex microcapsules will be vitamin-impermeable and maintain nutrient balance. Invitro vitamin-leaching rates will be correlated with growth and survival of penaeid shrimp larvae to evaluate R&D feasibility. Commercialization potential will be evident from the in-vitro analytic values and whole-animal responses to test feeds.The potential commercial application as described by the awardee: The researchers expect to develop a nutritionally-balanced larval feed that will be commercialized as an Artemia replacement for use in shrimp/fish hatcheries. As a commercial research diet, the nutrient profile and size range of the feed will be customized to fit specific needs of aquatic animal nutritionists.

Microcapsule, nutrition, shrimp larvae aquaculture production of penaeid shrimp larvae is constrained by costly and unreliable supplies of live food, especially artemia nauplii. Despite japanese and european commercialization of high quality larval feeds, a complete replacement for artemia has not yet emerged. Larval shrimp production continues to be an industry bottleneck. We propose to formulate and test a complex microencapsulated feed consisting of <10-mum, lipid-walled micro-capsules and high-quality macronutrients stabilized within 45 to 500 mum microgel particles. Lipid-walled microcapsules will be produced by a modified double-emulsion process, and they will contain water-soluble micrnutrients in the payload (core material). Microgel particles will be formed by ionic gelation and they will consist of a protein-enriched hydrocolloid matrix. Unlike permeable crosslinked protein microcapsules, our complex microcapsules will be vitamin-impermeable and maintain nutrient balance. In-vitrovitamin-leaching rates will be correlated with growth and survival of penaeid shrimp larvae to evaluate r&d feasibility. Commercialization potential will be evident from the in-vitro analytic values and whole-animal responses to test feeds.