August 1, 2007

India develops unique single cell shrimp larvae feed
 

India's Fisheries College and Research Institute (FCRI) at Tuticorin said it has developed a unique single cell diet that could replace micro algae cultures for shrimp larvae reared in marine hatcheries.

Named 'Marine Single Cell Detritus' (MSCD), the product was derived from seaweeds by scientists at the institute led by S Felix, Professor of Biotechnology Centre, according to the Hindu.

V. K. Venkataramani, the FCRI Dean, said that the feed was developed through enzymatic and fermentative treatment of seaweeds in two phases.

Seaweeds were treated with an enzyme, resulting in single cell units. The 'enzymatic digest' was then treated with bacteria and yeast in the 'fermentative phase' to form the product.

Tests by the institute proved that MSCD had significant advantages over traditional feeds such as 'artemia cysts,' and algae cultures, used widely in marine hatcheries in India- The MSCD is 20 percent cheaper than artemia cysts and is easier to manufacture than micro algae cultures.