A feeding trial was conducted to determine the effect of dietary administration of Pediococcus acidilactici
MA18/5M and short chain fructooligosaccharides (scFOS) on Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) intestinal
health. Salmon (initial average weight 250 g) were allocated into triplicate sea pens and were fed either
a control diet (commercial diet: 45% protein, 20% lipid) or a synbiotic treatment diet (control
diet þ P. acidilactici at 3.5 g kg1 and 7 g kg1 scFOS) for 63 days. At the end of this period, fish were
sampled for intestinal microbiology, intestinal histology and the expression of selected immune-related
genes (IL1b, TNFa, IL8, TLR3 and MX-1) in the intestine.