Although most commercial aquaculture feeds in the world are manufactured using extrusion, the impact of this technology on performance, efficiency and health of fish and shrimp is overlooked by several aquaculture disciplines. Raw material processors, educational institutions and nutritionists have limited access generally to affordable extrusion technology. The influence of pellet quality (e.g. bulk density, durability, water stability, oil absorption capacity, starch gelatinization) remains too often disregarded in fish and shrimp studies. The assessment of many experts is that extrusion stands at the frontier of science and art. Nowadays, it has become crucial to demystify, and make as widely available as possible, tools to evaluate the impact of extrusion on feed quality.
In this presentation, feed processing through extrusion is described comprehensively. The importance of feed formulation, grinding, mixing, extruding, drying, vacuum coating, cooling, and packaging are covered holistically. Extrusion technology is complex and encompasses principles of physics, chemistry, and animal science. To fully achieve its potential, expertise in engineering and nutrition are essential. Recent development on the roles of compression, thermal energy, melting, starch and protein functionalities on nutrient availability and animal performance is explained concisely.
Finally, aquaculture stakeholders are invited to appraise how extrusion can contribute to their success. Interacting with service/impact-oriented experts with proven-tracked records is essential to achieve this goal.