October 11, 2013

Better Pharma launched first commercial organic fish anaesthetic in Thailand

Better Pharma Co., Ltd, leader in aquatic animal health has cooperated with Chulalongkorn University to develop Aquanes^® fish anaesthetic, which is made available to the Thai domestic and export markets.

Chayanond Kritiyachawaeng, senior vice president of Animal Health Business - Betagro group said fish is an important aquatic animal in Thai aquaculture industry. Demand for fish is high, due to the trend of health-consciousness, along with the growth of the ornamental fish industry.

Recently, sedative and analgesic aquaculture management for fish treatment and transportation involved the use of illegal, unregistered anaesthetics, which cause side effects to cornea and gill of fish, in addition to safety issues for consumption and effects on human skin.

Better Pharma Co., Ltd, the animal health company of Betagro Group, has cooperated with Chulalongkorn University to research on Aquanes® and registered the fish anaesthetic with the Thai Food and Drug Administration. The product is the first sedative and analgesic product for aquaculture management in Thailand.

Aquanes^® is a natural extraction in clear liquid form and is ready-to-use as it dissolves quickly in water. It activate quickly in fish for sedative, analgesic and metabolism reduction during treatment or transportation and is safe for farmers and final consumers.

Assistant Professor Dr Janenuj Wongtavatchai, Veterinary Scientist of Chulalongkorn University who was involved in the research said Aquanes^® was developed based on trials on many species of fishes such as tilapia, white perch and abalone. Trials were conducted both in the laboratory and in many standard fish farms in Thailand for the proper use of fish anaesthetic for sedative and analgesic aquaculture management.

The anaesthetic won the Asia Pacific prize 'The Mai Bangkok Business Challenge@Sasin 2007' by the student team of Chulalongkorn University for this research.

Although the market for fish anesthetic in Thailand is still not high, at about THB 100 million (US$3.2 million) per year, food safety drove Betagro Group to develop the product.