Chapter 19
Use of Microalgae Pigments
in Aquaculture
Fatimah Md. Yusoff, Sanjoy Banerjee, Norio Nagao, Yuki Imaizumi,
M. Shariff, and Tatsuki Toda
Abstract Aquaculture sector shows the fastest growth among the global food
production industries. However, nutrition and diseases are two important hurdles
that need to be addressed to propel the industry forward. Consistent supply of highquality feed for growing larvae of important aquaculture species is one of the bottlenecks of the local larviculture industry. Microalgal pigments containing carotenoids,
phycobiliproteins and chlorophylls are highly nutritious functional foods containing
high antioxidant biomolecules associated with fast growth, high immunity, enhanced
pigmentation and high productivity. Their high contents of lipids and fatty acids make
them valuable alternatives for replacement of fish meals in livestock and fish feeds.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), functional amino acids, vitamins and other
biomolecules associated with health are also found in many microalgae species.
Major pigments such as astaxanthin, lutein, beta-carotene, chlorophylls, and phycobiliproteins have been proven as valuable sources for the development of functional,
nutritional and therapeutic commodities to enhance pigmentation, survival, disease
resistance and health of cultured organisms. In spite of their well-known applications, commercial production of pigment supplies such as astaxanthin, fucoxanthin,
F. Md. Yusoff (B)
Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture/International Institute of Aquaculture and
Aquatic Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
e-mail: fatimahyus@gmail.com
S. Banerjee · Y. Imaizumi
Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM),
43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
N. Nagao
Bluescientific Shinkamigoto Co. Ltd., 102 Naname-go, Shinkamigoto-cho., Minami
Matsuura-gun, Nagasaki 857-4214, Japan
M. Shariff
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), 43400 Serdang, Selangor,
Malaysia
T. Toda
Laboratory of Restoration Ecology, Dean of Graduate School of Engineering, Soka University,
1-236, Tangi-machi, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-8577, Japan
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
E. Jacob-Lopes et al. (eds.), Pigments from Microalgae Handbook,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50971-2_19
471
Use of Microalgae Pigments
in Aquaculture
Fatimah Md. Yusoff, Sanjoy Banerjee, Norio Nagao, Yuki Imaizumi,
M. Shariff, and Tatsuki Toda
Abstract Aquaculture sector shows the fastest growth among the global food
production industries. However, nutrition and diseases are two important hurdles
that need to be addressed to propel the industry forward. Consistent supply of highquality feed for growing larvae of important aquaculture species is one of the bottlenecks of the local larviculture industry. Microalgal pigments containing carotenoids,
phycobiliproteins and chlorophylls are highly nutritious functional foods containing
high antioxidant biomolecules associated with fast growth, high immunity, enhanced
pigmentation and high productivity. Their high contents of lipids and fatty acids make
them valuable alternatives for replacement of fish meals in livestock and fish feeds.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), functional amino acids, vitamins and other
biomolecules associated with health are also found in many microalgae species.
Major pigments such as astaxanthin, lutein, beta-carotene, chlorophylls, and phycobiliproteins have been proven as valuable sources for the development of functional,
nutritional and therapeutic commodities to enhance pigmentation, survival, disease
resistance and health of cultured organisms. In spite of their well-known applications, commercial production of pigment supplies such as astaxanthin, fucoxanthin,
F. Md. Yusoff (B)
Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture/International Institute of Aquaculture and
Aquatic Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
e-mail: fatimahyus@gmail.com
S. Banerjee · Y. Imaizumi
Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM),
43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
N. Nagao
Bluescientific Shinkamigoto Co. Ltd., 102 Naname-go, Shinkamigoto-cho., Minami
Matsuura-gun, Nagasaki 857-4214, Japan
M. Shariff
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), 43400 Serdang, Selangor,
Malaysia
T. Toda
Laboratory of Restoration Ecology, Dean of Graduate School of Engineering, Soka University,
1-236, Tangi-machi, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-8577, Japan
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
E. Jacob-Lopes et al. (eds.), Pigments from Microalgae Handbook,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50971-2_19
471