摘要Normally,proper fermentation can be an efficient and widely used method to improve feed quality in animal rearing;however,the studies on crustaceans,especially Eriocheir sinensis,remain limited.This study aimed to investigate whether feed fermentation could meliorate dietary nutritional value and benefit E.sinensis rearing.First,non-fermented feed(NFD)and fermented feed(FD)were produced and assessed,respectively.Then,the"Y"maze feed choice behavior test(180 times;30 times,6 rounds)was conducted to assess the attractiveness of these 2 feeds for crabs.Finally,a total of 80 crabs(44.10±0.80 g)were randomly assigned into 2 groups with 4 replicates,and fed the experimental diets for 8 weeks to evaluate the effects of each feed on growth,antioxidant capacity,meat flavor,and in-testinal microbiota.In this study,FD showed higher levels of crude protein(P＜0.01),soluble protein(P＜0.01),amino acids(P＜0.05),lactic acid(P＜0.001),and lower levels of crude fiber(P＜0.05)and antinutritional factors(agglutinin,trypsin inhibitor,glycinin,andβ-conglycinin)(P＜0.001)than NFD.Additionally,FD was more attractive to crabs than NFD(P＜0.01)and it stimulated the appetite of crabs more than NFD(P＜0.05).The growth performance,feed efficiency,and digestive enzyme activity of FD-fed crabs were significantly higher than those of NFD-fed crabs(P＜0.05).The electronic sensory measurements and free amino acid profiles revealed that the FD diet had positive impacts on the meat flavor of crabs,particularly in"sweet"and"umami"tastes.Moreover,the antioxidant capacity of FD-fed crabs was significantly higher than that of NFD-fed crabs(P＜0.05).Fermented feed also affected the diversity and composition of intestinal microflora.The functional prediction of microbial communities showed that crabs fed FD had a better microecological environment in the intestine.In conclusion,the fermentation of aquafeed could be an effective approach to enhance feed quality and therefore benefit E.sinensis rearing.