AQUACULTURE, vol.268, pp.143-148, 2007 (SCI-Expanded)
Most currently available microparticulate artificial diets for rearing marine suspension feeders, including larval fish, are not effective in retaining low-molecular weight, water-soluble (LMWS) nutrients and other materials [Lopez-Alvarado, J., Langdon, C.J., Teshima, S., Kanazawa, A., 1994. Effects of coating and encapsulation of crystalline amino acids on leaching in larval feeds. Aquaculture 122, 335-346; Baskerville-Bridges, B., Kling, L.J., 2000. Development and evaluation of microparticulate diets for early weaning of Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua, larvae. Aquae. Nutr. 6, 171-182]. Rapid leaching losses occur as a result of high surface-to-volume ratios and the porosity of the matrix or walls of the particles [Langdon, C.J., 2003. Microparticle types for delivery nutrients to marine fish larvae. Aquaculture 227, 259-275]. In order to address this problem of high leakage losses, a novel complex particle type was developed consisting of LMWS incorporated in lipid beads that are then bound, with other nutrients, in a matrix of the water-insoluble protein zein.