Influence of Anthocyanins from Katiola Purple Corn on Growth, Body Composition and Health of Nile Tilapia (<i>Oreochromis Niloticus</i> Linnaeus 1758) in Côte d’Ivoire

The intensification of fish farming activity has led to the proliferation of pathogens, consequently the development of epidemic diseases. Thus, the use of antibiotics has become widespread but this practice has had effects on the environment, health of fish and consumers. Faced with this problem, the technique consisted of strengthening the immunity and health of fish with feed additives containing pigments, known for their antioxidant properties. This study aims to determine the influence of anthocyanin-rich purple Katiola corn on the growth, health, and body composition of tilapia. Five isoprotein feeds (30%) were formulated based on purple corn flour with different quantities of anthocyanins (0, 230, 345, 460, 690mg/100g) and submitted to juveniles (25.39 ± 5.95g) in tanks for 49 days. Daily weight gain varied from 0.79 to 0.85 g/day without significant difference. In terms of nutrient retention coefficients, lipid retention increases proportionally with the increase in the quantities of anthocyanins. On the other land, protein retention no longer increases at the threshold of 460mg/100g. This was reflected in the body composition of fish with a significant difference (p˂ 0.05) in lipid content. There is an accumulation of fat in the body of fish when using purple corn. For health of fish, the hepato-somatic index and condition factor were better with diets enriched with more anthocyanins. In conclusion, it can be estimated that the use of anthocyanins from purple corn had an influence on the quality of body composition and the health of the fish.