Line of action:

Status:

Execution date:

General Objective:

To increase scientific knowledge and value amphipods associated with fish culture in sea cages through their cultivation and/or extraction as an integrated multitrophic aquaculture system (AMTI).

Specific objectives:

1. To improve the efficiency and selectivity of an amphipod culture associated with floating cages, through the optimization of the extraction process in terms of purity in the final composition of the product.
2. To provide a complete nutritional and microbiological analysis of the product obtained, with special emphasis on those aspects that are still unknown, such as the content of certain essential amino acids, some trace elements or aspects related to food safety.
3. Assess the suitability of amphipods for application in aquaculture or aquaphilia, gastronomy and human nutrition or other potential uses.
4. Verify the role of amphipods as elements of impact mitigation, by studying their capacity to take advantage of by-products from the main crop.
5. Increase the transfer of knowledge science-sector-society.

The project has provided a complete nutritional and microbiological analysis of the product obtained, with special emphasis on those aspects that are still unknown, such as the content of certain essential amino acids, some trace elements, or aspects related to food safety.

In addition, the suitability of amphipods for application in aquaculture and aquatics, gastronomy and human nutrition or other potential uses has been evaluated.

Specifically, within the framework of this project, the following have been carried out:

• Amphipod sampling (10) and installation of a total of 36 collectors, 18 in facilities dedicated to the fattening of sea bream (Sparus aurata) and another 18 in facilities for fattening sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) in coastal waters of the Valencian Community (Guardamar del Segura) and the Region of Murcia (San Pedro del Pinatar), specifically in the facilities of the company Piscialba (Murcia) and Culmarex (Alicante).
• Determination of the nutritional composition of amphipods, identification and quantification of microorganisms present, chitin extraction and transformation performance into chitosan and development of a disinfection assay on amphipods with UV-C radiation.
• Analysis of the suitability of amphipods for use in aquaculture, aquatics, gastronomy, human nutrition and other uses.
• Analysis of feed traceability through the determination in amphipods of those vegetable fatty acids present in feed and that do not appear naturally in the marine environment.
• Dissemination of the project through conferences, articles, press releases, informative materials and social networks.
• Visibility of the role of women in the scientific world through the activities carried out around the Day of Women and Girls in Science, with workshops in 2 education centers and a participation of 100 students.