Determinação de Digestibilidade em Rações Animais Utilizando Imagens Digitais: Uma Alternativa de Baixo Custo

Resumo

Digestibility analysis is essential for the nutritional evaluation of animal feeds. However, the main
methods used to determine this parameter are costly to implement as they require high-value equipment.
For instance, spectrophotometry, although widely used, relies on the use of a UV-VIS spectrophotometer,
which is not readily available in many laboratories. Faced with this limitation, this study presents a
methodology for determining the concentration of the marker TiO₂ in fish feed and feces through digital
imaging. After sulfuric digestion and the addition of hydrogen peroxide, digital images were obtained.
Subsequently, the average values of the red (R), green (G), and blue (B) color channels were determined
and correlated with the marker content. Using the analytical curve, the TiO₂ levels in nine feed and feces
samples were determined. According to the t-test, no statistical differences were observed between the
results obtained using digital images and spectrophotometric readings. Therefore, digital images can be
used for the quantification of this digestibility marker at a reduced cost.