FICA aims to develop a set of specialized services for zootechnical, physiological and molecular research, to tackle the current and future challenges of the aquaculture industry in the area of industrial contracted research.
The main objectives of the project are:
- Refine the methodologies to estimate fish and shrimp appetite (e.g., using a fluorescent compound);
- Refine the methodologies to estimate the true digestibility in fish;
- Develop a service to predict the nutritional effects on the long-term of feed additives and emerging ingredients, based on mathematical modelling;
- Develop a new gut health evaluation service, including the assessment of gut permeability, characterization of the microbiota and use of a new panel of biomarkers (systemic and genetic).