Benzoic Acid Inclusion Effects on Health Status and Growth Performance of Juvenile Pacific White Shrimp Penaeus vannamei

Organic acids and their salts are used as additives in aquafeeds, as their participation in some metabolic pathways and energy generation in organisms increases the nutritional value. Benzoic acid (BA; C6H5‐COOH), a white crystalline substance with a chemical structure that contains carboxylic acid attached to a benzene ring, is naturally found in plant and animal tissues. It is one of the most used organic acids due to its antifungal properties, and it acts as a preservative for a variety of human consumption products. Additionally, it demonstrates health and growth benefits when included in feeds by modifying the energy metabolism, microbiota, and intestinal tract morphology. Information on BA inclusion in aquatic food is rare, and such information for Pacific white shrimp Penaeus vannamei is nonexistent. This study evaluated the effects on growth, survival, feed conversion ratio, energy content, and health status (through lipid quantification in the hepatopancreas, histological examination, and salinity stress tests) of Pacific white shrimp juveniles by including BA at different concentrations (0.0, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 g/kg) in a commercial feed. Diets with BA inclusion produced significant differences in the hepatosomatic index, hepatopancreas lipid content, and histopathological index value (reflecting damage to the hepatopancreas and antennal gland atrophy) at all BA concentrations. The lowest survival obtained was 94.44% at a BA concentration of 1.0 g/kg. The feed conversion ratio was in accordance with the range established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations except for values obtained at 0 g/kg. Calorimetric analysis and BA detection in muscle revealed no significant differences between concentrations. Due to the results obtained in this study, the evaluated inclusions of BA are not recommended for use in juvenile Pacific white shrimp diets.