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Genetic research

Brewer's Spent Grain Extract Shows Promise in Mitigating Piscirickettsiosis

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A groundbreaking study on Gram-Negative Bacteria - Piscirickettsia has revealed a sustainable method to mitigate the infection that causes significant mortality in Chilean salmon aquaculture. Researchers at Universidad Austral de Chile discovered that brewer's spent grain can be converted into a functional feed additive through a green-chemistry workflow. This extract, known as bagasse extract-PBS, was shown to preserve cell viability, enhance inflammatory response, and strengthen barrier integrity in rainbow trout intestinal epithelial cells.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found that brewer's spent grain can be upgraded into a functional feed additive through enzymatic hydrolysis, microwave-vacuum drying, and ultrasound-assisted water extraction.
  • The resulting extract, bagasse extract-PBS, was shown to preserve 90% cell viability up to 35 mg/mL gallic acid equivalents (GAE).
  • Pre-exposure of rainbow trout intestinal epithelial cells to 5-25 mg/mL GAE of BEP enhanced inflammatory response, strengthened barrier integrity, and activated antioxidant defenses.
  • Pre-treatment with 25-100 mg/mL GAE of BEP curtailed Piscirickettsia salmonis induced cellular lysis by 45% and reduced bacterial translocation across epithelial monolayers by 1 log CFU.
  • The study suggests that bagasse extract-PBS can modulate innate immune responses and contribute to future mitigation of the impact of P. salmonis infection.

Statistics:

  • 90% cell viability was preserved up to 35 mg/mL GAE of BEP.
  • Pre-exposure to 5-25 mg/mL GAE of BEP enhanced inflammatory response up to 4.3-fold.
  • Pre-exposure to 5-25 mg/mL GAE of BEP strengthened barrier integrity up to 3.1-fold.
  • Pre-treatment with 25-100 mg/mL GAE of BEP curtailed Piscirickettsia salmonis induced cellular lysis by 45%.
  • Pre-treatment with 25-100 mg/mL GAE of BEP reduced bacterial translocation across epithelial monolayers by 1 log CFU.

Sources:

  • Brewer's spent grain extract modulates the immune, intercellular junctions and antioxidant gene expression disrupting the Piscirickettsia salmonis infection in rainbow trout intestinal epithelial RTgutGC cells. Fish & Shellfish Immunology, 2025;168:110933.
  • Universidad Austral de Chile.

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