Journal of Environmental Biology

Effects of dietary steviol glycosides on the growth, feed intake and intestinal short-chain fatty acids in red hybrid tilapia

J.M.S. Choy¹, N. Romano^2,3*, M. Ebrahimi⁴ and Mohd. S. Kamarudin²

¹Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia, Jerantut Community College, 27000 Pahang, Malaysia

²Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

³Aquaculture/Fisheries Center, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, 1200 North University Drive, Pine Bluff 71601, AR, USA

⁴Department of Veterinary Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

*Corresponding Author E-mail: romano.nicholas5@gmail.com

Key words

Feed attractant

Red hybrid tilapia

Short chain fatty acids

Stevia rebaudiana

Steviol glycosides

Publication Data

Paper received : 08.08.2017

Revised received : 09.10.2017

Re-revised received : 15.11.2017

Accepted : 28.12.2017

Abstract

Aim: Stevia is a natural sweetener but is not readily metabolized or fermentable in animals. It may have potential as a feed attractant; however, there is limited information on the effects of dietary Stevia in fish.   

Methodology: A 76-day-study was performed to assess the growth, feed intake, body indices, muscle proximate composition and intestinal short chain fatty acids (SCFA) in red hybrid tilapia fed with increasing Stevia (steviol glycosides) at 0, 1, 3 and 6%. A second experiment was performed to determine any changes in plasma glucose, cholesterol or triglyceride levels in red hybrid tilapia at 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 hr after being fed 0 or 6% Stevia.    

Results: In experiment 1, dietary Stevia had no significant effect (p > 0.05) on any of the measured parameters in tilapia and in experiment 2, dietary Stevia had no significant effect (p > 0.05) on the tested plasma biochemistry.

Interpretation: These findings indicate that Stevia did not improve diet palatability to tilapia, as well as not being metabolized for energy or fermented.  Based on these findings, there is no advantage to including Stevia at the tested levels in the diets of tilapia.

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