SE (Sarah) Garay, MSc

Sarah Garay works on the PhD project Microbial protein fermentation in fish: a threat or opportunity for gut health?

Fish farming relies on protein-rich feeds, but feeding fish poorly digested sources often leads to reduced health and growth. Studies in terrestrial animals show that poorly digested protein contributes to gut health issues due to excess production of harmful metabolites by gut microbes. However, whether this process also occurs in the fish gut is unexplored. This PhD project investigates how different protein sources affect fish gut microbial activity and health by examining the produced metabolites under laboratory conditions and during feeding trials. This research provides novel insights into microbial protein fermentation in fish, with broader implications for animal welfare and growth.

This PhD project is a collaboration between the Aquaculture and Fisheries (AFI) and Animal Nutrition (ANU) groups at Wageningen University & Research, and Alltech Coppens B.V. (The Netherlands). This project is supervised by dr. Fotini Kokou (co-promoter and direct supervisor), dr. Sonja de Vries (co-promoter), and dr. Johan Schrama (promoter).