The study investigated effect of dietary supplementation with malic acid, Bacillus subtilis and a mixture of the two (3 × 2 factorial trial) on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) health. Treatment groups (T1-T6) were fed diets containing three levels of malic acid bacterial count in the gut and faeces was detected in fish from group T6. The values of haematocrit, haemoglobin, red blood cells, white blood cells, total protein, albumin and globulin were significantly higher (p < .05) in fish from groups T4 and T6 (diets supplemented with malic acid and B. subtilis). As compared to the control fed fish, te mixture of these substances are promising as immune enhancher in aquacultured fish. K E Y W O R D SBacillus subtilis, blood parameters, growth, gut microbiota, Nile tilapia, organic acid | INTRODUCTIONMicrobial balance and proper pH in the digestive tract eliminate pathogenic microorganisms. This is necessary to maintain fish health in a satisfactory state and to achieve expected production levels.Over the last decade, research has focused on the application of probiotics and prebiotics to replace antibiotic growth promoters in the fish farming industry (Irianto & Austin, 2002;Yanbo & Zirong, 2006) and to enhance the growth and health of the host (Gatesoupe, 1999;Kesarcodi-Watson, Kaspar, Lategan, & Gibson, 2008).Most commercial probiotics currently being tested in aquaculture are lactic acid bacteria (e.g., Lactobacillus), the genus Bacillus, photosynthetic bacteria (e.g., Rhodobacter sphaeroides) and the yeasts foods as a flavour enhancer and for pH (1% malic acid solution is about 2.3) and microbial control, because it inhibits the growth of pathogenic bacteria and pathogenic fungi (Ricke, 2003). An exceptionally valuable nutritional property of this acid is that after oral administration, it stimulates the secretion of gastric juices and increases peristalsis. Small doses of malic acid have prebiotic properties, stimulating the development of non-pathogenic, acidophilic and saprophytic bacteria whereas at higher doses it can exhibit bacteriostatic and bactericidal properties (Salou, Leroy, Goma, & Pareilleux, 1991).An extensive review of the literature on this topic revealed that there are no reports on the in vivo kinetics of probiotic bacterial growth in the presence of organic acids. In in vitro studies, Lactobacillus plantarum exhibited better growth in the presence of malic acid as compared to the control group (Passos, Fleming, Hassan, & McFeeters, 2003).Therefore, in the authors' opinion, the current study is innovative and facilitates a better understanding of the interactions occurring among probiotics and malic acid in the gastrointestinal tract of fish. In summation, the aim of the current investigation was to assess the dietary inclusion of malic acid, Bacillus subtilis or a mix of the two on the growth performance, feed utilization, gut microbiota and haematological and biochemical blood parameters of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus;Linnaeus, 1758). After carp, the tilapia species c...

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The biodiversity and evolution of fungal communities were monitored over a period of 3 vintages in a new winery. Samples were collected before grape receipt and 3 months after fermentation from 3 different wine related environments (WRE): floor, walls and equipment and analyzed using Illumina Mi-Seq. Genera of mold and filamentous fungi (294), non-enological (10) and wine-associated yeasts (25) were detected on all WREs before the arrival of the first harvest. Among them, genera like Alternaria and Aureobasidium persisted during two vintages. Therefore, these genera are not specific to winery environment and appear to be adapted to natural or anthropic environments due to their ubiquitous character. Some genera like Candida were also detected before the first harvest but only on one WREs, whereas, on the other WREs they were found after the harvest. The ubiquitous character and phenotypic traits of these fungal genera can explain their dynamics. After the first harvest and during 3 vintages the initial consortium was enriched by oenological genera like Starmerella introduced either by harvest or by potential transfers between the different WREs. However, these establishing genera, including Saccharomyces, do not appear to persist due to their low adaptation to the stressful conditions of winery environment.

The aim of this work was to study the fungal colonization of a new winery over time, specifically for Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Therefore, we analyzed the flora present before the arrival of the first harvest on the floor, the walls and the equipment of this new winery by Illumina MiSeq. The genus Saccharomyces (≤0.3%) was detected on floor and equipment but the presence of S. cerevisiae species was not reported. Wild S. cerevisiae strains were isolated from a ‘Pied de Cuve’ used during the first vintage to ensure the alcoholic fermentation (AF). Among 25 isolates belonging to this species, 17 different strains were identified highlighting a great intraspecific diversity. S. cerevisiae strains were also isolated from different vats throughout the spontaneous fermentations during the first vintage. The following year, some of these strains were isolated again during AF. Some of them (four) were found in the winery equipment before the arrival of the third harvest suggesting a potential colonization by these strains. To better understand what promotes the yeast colonization of the winery’s environment, the ability to form a biofilm on solid surfaces for eight colonizing or non-colonizing strains was studied. This capacity, different according to the strains, could partly explain the colonization observed for certain strains.