Mechanisms of hepatic dysfunction in Nile tilapia ( ) fed a high-fava bean ( L.) diet.

Fava bean is currently utilized as a specialized feed ingredient to enhance the muscle texture of fish. When incorporated at appropriate levels, fava beans can improve fish muscle crispy texture. However, high dietary levels of fava beans may lead to liver damage in fish, although the specific mechanisms behind this effect remain unclear. In this study, 600 genetic improvement of farmed tilapia (GIFT; ) of uniform size (initial body weight 552.3 ± 10.12 g) and healthy appearance were randomly divided into four groups, each with three replicates of 50 fish. The fish diets contained different levels of fava beans (0, 50%, 60%, and 70%), designated as D0, D50, D60, and D70, respectively, over a ten-week feeding experiment. A comprehensive analysis of the impact of fava beans on muscle texture and liver health in GIFT was performed. The results showed that 50%, 60%, and 70% dietary fava beans had no significant effect on the growth performance of GIFT ( > 0.05), but 70% dietary fava beans increased feed conversion ratio (FCR) ( = 0.022). Consumption of fava beans at levels of 50%, 60%, and 70% in the diet altered GIFT muscle texture ( < 0.05), and adversely effected serum biochemistry and liver health ( < 0.05). Non-targeted metabolome analysis of the liver revealed that dietary fava beans may cause irreversible damage to liver cells by disrupting the DNA methylation process ( < 0.05). This finding enhances the understanding of the mechanisms behind the negative impact of fava bean consumption on liver function. It is crucial to investigate potential strategies to mitigate these adverse effects while maintaining the desired muscle quality when fava beans are used in aquatic feed.