Unlocking the potential: Exploring the application of bioactive peptides in aquaculture

Bioactive peptides (BAPs), typically comprising two to 20 amino acids, are widely acknowledged for their distinctive biological functions. They can be broadly classified as endogenous or exogenous peptides. Integrating BAPs into feed is now deemed an efficacious nutritional strategy to enhance the resilience of farmed aquatic species against stress-induced damage and pathogen infections. Moreover, dietary BAPs have exhibited significantly favorable effects on fish and shrimp's feed utilization and growth performance. The present review comprehensively explores the extensive research on the diverse applications of BAPs in aquaculture, explicitly focusing on recent advances in utilizing antioxidative, antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory peptides. Additionally, the study incorporates several common dipeptides and tripeptides to address the challenges associated with inefficient absorption, high production costs, and the inherent instability of amino acid monomers. Furthermore, the review explores the methods for obtaining BAPs through enzymatic hydrolysis technology, highlighting key challenges that require attention in aquatic research. This review is expected to encourage further investigation in the related fields.