Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faculty Publications Article Faculty Publications -Articles Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Gopalraaj, Jhanani; Velayudhannair, Krishnakumar Title A name given to the resource Valorization of pomegranate peel waste as a sustainable feed additive: enhancing growth, digestion, immunity, and disease resistance in the freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 01-01-2026 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Environmental Science and Pollution Research;Volume;33;Issue;16;pp.7676-7700 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-026-37772-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-026-37772-2</a> <br /><br /><a href="https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105037870747?origin=resultslist" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105037870747?origin=resultslist</a> Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Gopalraaj J., Department of Life Sciences, Christ University, Hosur Main Road, Dharmaram Post, Karnataka, Bengaluru, 560 029, India; Velayudhannair K., Department of Life Sciences, Christ University, Hosur Main Road, Dharmaram Post, Karnataka, Bengaluru, 560 029, India Description An account of the resource The growing demand for sustainable aquaculture and eco-friendly feed resources necessitates the development of circular economy strategies that valorize agro-industrial by-products. This study evaluated pomegranate (Punica granatum) peel, a nutrient-rich fruit waste, as a functional and sustainable feed additive in the freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii. A 60-day feeding trial included a control (0X) and five experimental diets (P1P5) supplemented with P. granatum peel protease (0.02X0.10X). Growth, digestive enzyme activity, immune-oxidative responses, and tissue histology were assessed, followed by a 72-h post-challenge with Aeromonas hydrophila. Growth improved significantly in P4 and P5 (p &lt; 0.05), with the highest specific growth rate (2.14 0.03%/day in P4; 2.13 0.01%/day in P5) and lowest feed conversion ratio (0.39 0.01) in P5. P4 showed the highest protein (240.01 2.68mg/g) and amino acids (148.16 0.83mg/g). Protease activity peaked in P4 (1.55 0.03IU/g), while amylase and lipase remained unchanged. Antioxidant defenses in P5 were elevated, including superoxide dismutase (43.31 0.33%), catalase (1.91 0.05 U/min/mg protein), glutathione S-transferase (1.43 0.01 U/min/mg protein), glutathione peroxidase (5.97 0.02 U/min/mg protein), and total hemocyte count (22.80 0.05 10? cells/mL). Histology confirmed improved hepatopancreas structure. P. granatum exhibited in vitro antibacterial activity against A. hydrophila (MIC 6.25mg/mL), and in vivo challenge showed the lowest mortality in P4 and P5 (16.25 1.77%) versus control (71.25 1.77%). These results highlight P. granatum peel as a viable circular bioresource, promoting nutrient recycling, waste reduction, and sustainable aquaculture productivity while minimizing reliance on synthetic additives. Future studies should focus on long-term feeding trials and large-scale farm evaluations to further validate the commercial viability of P. granatum peel as a sustainable functional feed additive in aquaculture. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2026. Subject The topic of the resource Aeromonas hydrophila; Circular bioeconomy; Macrobrachium rosenbergii; Oxidative stress; Punica granatum; Sustainable aquaculture; Waste valorization Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Springer Relation A related resource ISSN: 9441344; CODEN: ESPLE Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Article Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Restricted Access; Hardcopy may be available in the library Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource online