A recent clinical study published in Aquaculture showed that House Wellness Foods’ immunobiotic-based Feed LP20, which features the heat-killed Lactobacillus plantarum L-137 (HK L-137), demonstrably increased the farming output, size, and health of “genetically-improved farmed tilapia (GIFT).”  
 
The conclusions of this study will be shared at Aquaculture Europe, in Berlin, Germany, Oct. 7-10, where one of the study’s directors, Mahmoud A.O. Dawood, will present the group’s findings for the first time.
 
House Wellness Foods’ researchers, working alongside Vietnam’s Research Institute for Aquaculture No. 2 (RIA2), previously released a study demonstrating the efficacy of Feed LP20 on Nile Tilapia [Oreochromis niloticus]. Though this species could be farmed in a number of environments, increased consumption accelerated production, which led to water management issues, forcing a surge in the use of antibiotics, pesticides, and disinfectants. Apart from the twin dangers of seepage into the food chain and giving rise to disease resistance, the fish themselves were subjected to excessive stress, which broke down their immunity and degraded the population.
 
The current research showed that beyond HK L-137’s ability to support innate immune functions—warding off destructive cellular activity before its effects necessitate the use of solutions such as antibiotics and antimicrobials—the bacillus actually modulated digestive enzyme activity, blood health, oxidative responses, and growth-related gene expression, significantly improving the crop across all performance parameters—final body weight, weight gain, specific growth rate, and feed efficiency ratio (FBW, WG, SGR, FER).
 
Further, and partly accounting for these improvements, sampled fish exhibited expanded mucosal thickness and villus length, which promote increased dietary nutrient utilization, as well as significantly increased amylase, lipase, and protease activity.
 
Feed LP20 with HK L-137 was shown to modulate blood hematocrit and hemoglobin levels, RBC and WBC counts (P < 0.05), while decreasing total cholesterol and GPT. Additionally, antioxidative enzyme (SOD and CAT) activity was raised greatly (P < 0.05), while MDA levels were lowered. Fish fed HK L-137 also showed enhanced total serum protein and IgM levels.
 
House Wellness Foods’ farming and aquaculture product Feed LP20 containing HK L-137 features the same attributes as the consumer product, Immuno LP20, the company said—notably, high solubility, resistance to breakdown, long shelf life and stability. The benefits of this approach can produce food that is safer, more nutritious, and importantly, more plentiful, without risking the dangers and depredation associated with antibiotics and disinfectants, the company said.