Sabela Al-Soufi: «Marine macroalgae have great potential as functional foods»
The thesis that recently awarded Sabela Al-Soufi Novo her PhD degree, 'Marine algae as an alternative to the use of antibiotics in rabbits', has given much to talk about in recent days.
Conducted at the Faculty of Veterinary Science of Campus Terra and within the TIRAC Operational Group, the promising findings of the work are articulated as May water for the rabbit sector, which has been facing a long season facing a steady decline in the consumption of rabbit meat and an increase in mortality on farms.
In short, the restriction of the use of antibiotics in the breeding of these mammals makes it very difficult to maintain the intestinal health of the rabbits, which is why the entry on the scene of marine algae as an alternative to this type of drug is encouraging.
Given the dimensions of the study, the positive impact it can have on multiple productive sectors and its potential applications in the field of global food, it was mandatory to stop on this topic and listen to what the protagonist of this research, Sabela Al-Soufi, could tell us.
Sabela Al-Soufi, with an extraordinary curriculum so far and a promising future, has made versatility one of her best qualities as a researcher. During her formative stage, she focused her studies on fields as diverse as the conservation of river mussels, cattle, and small ruminants clinics and field research on the problems faced by shepherds.
Later, as we already know, he focused on the world of algae and its exploitation, a universe still little known and that hides secrets of great value.
She tells us she is looking for a job in the organic livestock sector right now, and we are sure she will find it quickly.
-Your research, as part of your doctoral thesis, recently attracted the attention of various specialized media, the scientific community and the general public. Tell us, what led you to focus your studies on this particular line of research?
-I really came to it a bit by chance. Initially, my plans were different, but I had the possibility to participate as a more technical support in the TIRAC Operational Group, whose objective was to investigate innovative techniques to reduce the use of antibiotics in rabbit farming. From this work, I did my thesis in this area. I have always been interested in animal production, especially in how to make it more environmentally sustainable, and that is why I was motivated by the topic of this thesis.
-What challenges do farmers in the rabbit farming sector face? What role can algae play in revitalizing this production sector?
-This sector is currently facing many difficulties. On the one hand, the recent restriction of the prophylactic use of antibiotics in animal production poses a challenge to maintaining the intestinal health of rabbits at post-weaning, which is a susceptible period in this type of production. In this sense, the use of macroalgae appears as a promising tool for its prebiotic potential, which would contribute to maintaining a healthy and strengthened intestinal environment that would allow us to face the possible diseases of this period in a better way.
On the other hand, the consumption of rabbit meat is decreasing every year, even in countries with a rabbit tradition, such as Spain. Therefore, the sector needs new strategies to promote its consumption, such as including marine macroalgae in rabbits' diets, which a specific population could positively value.
-With each passing day, the enormous potential of marine algae in areas such as food, both animal and human, becomes clearer. What are the properties that make algae such a valuable food? In what other areas could they have such a beneficial application?
-Marine macroalgae have a unique and varied composition rich in numerous bioactive compounds. In addition to their prebiotic potential, they have antioxidant properties. They are also a source of multiple elements, such as various macrominerals and iodine, as well as vitamins or proteins of excellent quality. Therefore, they have great potential as functional foods both in human nutrition and in various animal species, and they have already been shown to produce numerous benefits in organic pigs and dairy cattle, among others.
-What future do you foresee for this global economic and social development resource?
-The world of algae is still little known, and there is still a lot of research to be done; it is a very varied group of species, and each could have potential for numerous uses. This resource has many environmental benefits, provided that its exploitation is sustainable since algae do not require the primary resources that are becoming scarce, such as freshwater or fertile land. They also act as a carbon sink and bioremediation of the marine environment. Therefore, I think that their use will increase in the coming decades and will be a source of livelihood in many coastal areas, compatible and even symbiotic with other marine productions.
-Galicia has a long tradition of using marine macroalgae for agriculture and livestock, thanks in part to the great diversity of these present on our coasts. What role do you think Galicia plays and will play in their production and use?
-Galicia has excellent potential for producing marine macroalgae, as it is an area rich in diversity of macroalgae species and shows very high growth of these organisms. Several companies are already dedicated to their harvesting and cultivation, with a significant presence at the national level, which will probably increase. In addition, there are already production systems that combine the cultivation of macroalgae with that of molluscs and fish so that each group takes advantage of the discards produced by the others. This type of combined system could have an excellent application in our coasts.
-You completed this doctoral thesis in the Department of Animal Pathology within the TIRAC Operational Group. From your personal experience, what can you tell us about the functioning of this Supra-autonomic Operative Group?
-It is a lovely and practical way of researching since it allows us to listen to the real needs of the primary sector and find solutions for them while collaborating with local companies and the producers themselves. The organization of the work is perhaps more complex since so many entities participate. Still, at the same time, it is more enriching and gratifying since the actual application of research and its transfer to the productive sector, with its possibilities and limitations, is seen more practically.
-At the end of your degree, you made two practical international stays in Portugal, one in Bragança and the other at AEPGA (Associação para o Estudo e Proteção do Gado Asinino) in Atenor. What do you take away from these two experiences? What were the findings of your research during these stays?
-I learned a lot during these stays, professionally and personally, and I made great friends and gained great experiences. I got to know a very welcoming and active territory with a lot of interest in maintaining community relations and caring for the environment at all levels. During those months, I carried out a small project in which I interviewed many shepherds of small ruminants who maintained the traditional grazing methods and the various breeds native to the region.
In these interviews, we talked about the sector's problems and needs, the lack of generational relief, the lack of self-esteem and the hardness of the profession, and all the good it offers, the care of the territory, the freedom and resistance of the small productions. During this time, I also collaborated with the AEPGA, which works to recover the autochthonous breed of the Donkey of Miranda and the region's rural development.
-Finally, as a young researcher with a promising future ahead, what advice would you give to young people who want to start their careers in research?
-I think the most important thing is to try to find a topic that is motivating for each person, and also a group of people around you who value your work and your time, since there are many hours of work and for me, the most important thing is to feel good in a place and grow as a person together with my colleagues. I found this, and it was a lovely experience. I would also say that it is essential to maintain patience as it is a long process and, above all, to enjoy life in parallel, keeping time for oneself and other academic activities.