Protein quality of larval feed with increased concentration of hydrolysed protein: effects of heat treatment and leaching

Four heat coagulated early weaning diets with increasing concentrations of pepsin hydrolysed protein, were investigated with regard to the change in protein quality during feed production and exposure to leaching. Water-soluble N, trichloroacetic acid-soluble N and amino acid (AA) profiles were determined in finished diets and in diets leached for 6 min. In vitro diet digestibility was measured and related to increasing inclusion of hydrolysed protein and N leakage. Seventeen to 47% of soluble N in the feed ingredients was made insoluble by heat denaturation during feed production, but the concentration of peptides and free amino acids (FAA) were not influenced. All peptides/FAA and 70–80% of water-soluble protein were lost after exposure to leaching. Increased inclusion of hydrolysed protein increased the loss of crude protein (15–30%). All taurine and 30% of histidine was lost during leaching, no other major changes in AA profile were found. There was no difference in digestibility between diets exposed to leaching. However, leached diets showed reduced digestibility as compared to diets that had not been exposed to leaching. In conclusion micro-bound type diets as used in this study have a low efficiency in delivering soluble N to fish larvae and should be carefully considered for this purpose.