The effects of the supplementation of activated charcoal on the growth, health status and fillet composition-odor of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) before harvesting

The effect of diets containing different levels of active charcoal on growth performance, body composition, haematological parameters and possibility of heavy metals detoxification in big sturgeon (Huso huso)

“…Insignificant effect of heavy metals on percentages of protein and lipid in some treatments could be due to the complexity of the interaction between different concentrations of activated charcoal and heavy metals which requires further investigation. It is worth to mention that the results of this study are similar to the reports about increasing amounts of carcass protein by rising amount of dietary charcoal in Nile tilapia (Abdel‐Tawwab, El‐Sayed, & Shady, ; Boonanuntanasarn et al, ), Red tilapia (Michael et al, ), and Japanese flounder (Thu et al, ). The above studies suggested that the digestibility of dietary protein increases dramatically in charcoal‐contained diets, giving rise to protein content of fish fed activated charcoal compared with the control group.…”

“…There are also different reports focused on other carcass components such as moisture, total lipid and ash. For example, Boonanuntanasarn et al (), Thu et al () and Michael et al () reported no significant differences in other components other than protein, while Abdel‐Tawwab, El‐Sayed, and Shady () accounted a significant difference in above components. Typically, changes in body lipid and protein contents were caused by changes in the amount of their synthesis or degradation in the body, resulting in reductions in total body protein and lipid after challenging with heavy metals because of their use to provide energy against the ensuing stress, a process observed in the control group measurements.…”

“…On the other hand, Pirarat, Boonananthanasarn, Krongpong, Katagiri, and Maita () fed Nile tilapia with 0%, 1%, 2% and 3% of activated charcoal for 30 days and observed an optimal growth in concentration of 2% (20 g/kg diet). The same values of activated charcoal are fed to Nile tilapia which resulted in no significant differences in the growth performance (Boonanuntanasarn et al, ). There are also contrasting observations about other fish species.…”

“…The effect of adding activated charcoal to the diet of some fish species has been investigated by several researchers, indicating its positive effects on the growth efficiency, bodily chemical composition and removal of heavy metals, including those in Nile tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus ; Abdel‐Tawwab, El‐Sayed, & Shady, ), hybrid red tilapia ( O. mossambicus × O. niloticus ; Michael et al, ) and Japanese flounder ( Paralichthys olivaceus ; Thu, Koshio, Ishikawa, & Yokoyama, ). On the other hand, Boonanuntanasarn, Khaomek, Pitaksong, & Hua, , concluded that adding activated charcoal in fish diets has no significant positive effect. They used 10–30 g of activated charcoal per kg of diet to study their effect on the growth parameters of Nile tilapia which was attributed to the reduced fish appetite due to the negative effect of activated charcoal on the physical properties of the extruded pellet and the colour of diet.…”

The effect of dietary bamboo charcoal supplementation on growth and serum biochemical parameters of juvenile common carp (Cyprinus carpioL.)

“…The use of charcoal in the diets of food animals has received attention owing to its non‐nutritive and nondigestible properties that render it the ability to adsorb toxins from the gastrointestinal tract thus preventing their absorption into the body. Previous research has demonstrated that charcoal supplemented in the feed can improve fish growth, flesh quality, and intestinal function (Boonanuntanasarn et al., ). However, considering that charcoal is a nonspecific adsorbent, its application in the diets of food animals may potentially cause the adsorption of not only toxins but also nutrients from the gastrointestinal tract.…”