The Role of Phospholipid Additives in Nutrition and Intestinal Health of Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides): A Mini Review

The intensification of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) aquaculture has increased the incidence of infectious diseases and metabolic disorders, raising concerns about antimicrobial resistance. Nutritional immunology offers a sustainable preventive strategy, with intestinal health playing a central role. Phospholipid (PL) additives—including soybean lecithin (SBL), lysophospholipids (LPLs), and marine phospholipids (MPLs)—have emerged as promising functional feed additives due to their roles in nutrition, lipid metabolism, and intestinal homeostasis. This review systematically summarizes current knowledge on the effects of these three PL types on growth performance, nutrient utilization, lipid metabolism, and intestinal health in largemouth bass. We discuss the underlying molecular mechanisms, including the regulation of intestinal barrier function, mucosal immunity, and gut microbiota composition. We also compare the efficacy of different PL types, revealing that their benefits are often context-dependent, especially when facing nutritional challenges. Finally, we identify critical knowledge gaps and propose future research directions while also acknowledging that most evidence originates from a limited number of research groups in China, underscoring the need for independent validation across diverse production systems to strengthen generalizability.