A new strategy for screening of probiotic bacteria, applied on cod larvae

Microbial problems and diseases have been a restricting factor for thedevelopment of a predictable and sustainable farming industry based on fish and shellfish. Probiotics are promising agents in controlling microbial problems in intensive farming of fish and other animals. However, so far this strategy has not been very successful in aquaculture, which is in contrast to e.g. the poultry industry. This may be due to a clear bias in the strategy for selection of probiotic candidates in aquaculture. This project aims at development of more efficient probiotics for cod larvae. This will be achieved by development of high throughput methods for screening and characterization of probiotic candidates. The application of automated methods will make it possible to include a larger number of strains and screening criteria than previously done. Although developed for use on cod larvae, the methods will be generally applicable for probiotics intended for u se in other animals and humans. The project will last for 3 years, and is a collaboration project between SINTEF Fisheries and Aquaculture and SINTEF Applied Chemistry.