Fatty Acid Profile, Atherogenic and Thrombogenic Indices, and Meat Quality as the Effect of Feed Additive in African Catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822)

Humic substances (HS) are often used as feesd additives in livestock feeding. The long-term effects of different concentrations of HS additives in aquafeed on growth and production performance, antioxidant status, stress resistance, gut microbiome, overall health condition, final product yield, sensory properties of fresh and cooked meat, and composition of fatty acids of market size in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) originating from aquaculture were compared in this study. C. gariepinus were exposed to dietary inclusions of HS (0, 1, and 3, and 6% w/w) in a long-term experiment (six months in total) until fish reached market size. The growth parameters, condition factor, and selected somatic indices did not differ (p > 0.05) between the tested groups (HS0–HS6). Biochemical parameters were not different between the tested HS groups by the end of experiment, and only glucose (GLC) levels significantly increased (p < 0.05) with increasing concentrations of HS fed as an additive. The levels of cortisol (COR) and GLC did not differ between the tested groups (p > 0.05) after the stress challenge, but the results of GLC levels before and after the stress challenge showed an increasing tendency with increasing levels of HS addition in the diet. The levels of COR were slightly lower in groups HS3 and HS6 than in HS1 and the control group. In the case of protein and fat contents, differences between groups (HS0–HS6) were statistically insignificant. Significant differences were found, however, in water and ash content. In some cases, statistically significant differences were found in fatty acid profiles and in nutritional indices assessing fatty acids between samples. Sensory characteristics of fresh fillets did not differ between the tested groups HS0–HS6. The total content of polyphenols increased depending on the addition of humates. The main gut microbiota of samples analyzed (HS0–HS3 group) comprised the following three genera: Ralstonia, Pseudomonas and Cetobacterium; other genera were present in all samples at a low relative abundance: Staphylococcus, Bradyrhizobium, Bacillus, and Anaerobacillus. The relative abundance of Pseudomonas decreased while the presence of Cetobacterium increased in samples fed with 3% of HS. The results of our study yielded a comprehensive set of experimental results about African catfish fed with HS as additives. Although a significant effect of HS on overall performance of C. gariepinus was not proven, a positive effect on antioxidant status was seen as well as a decrease in gut microorganisms that can be present as pathogenic contaminants in aquatic environments.