February 22, 2022

New evidence finds Antarctic krill meal as promising aquafeed alternative

Research published in Aquaculture Nutrition has found that Antarctic krill meal could be a sustainable aquaculture feed alternative that benefits salmonid diets, Fish Information & Services reported.

The research paper was published by Aker BioMarine scientists, a biotech innovator and Antarctic krill-harvesting company.

Kiranpreet Kaur, director R&D, salmonids, Aker BioMarine, said their research has found that Antartic krill meal has proven to be a sustainable source of protein, phospholipids, omega-3 fatty acids such as EPA and DHA, feed attractants, and astaxanthin, making it a key marine ingredient for fish diets.

Kiranpreet said the aquaculture sector is becoming increasingly concerned about the sustainability of component sources, which is why the usage of Antarctic krill is assisting salmonid farmers in reducing their reliance on expensive and scarce fish products.

The research found that because of its feed attractant features, krill meal inclusion in salmonid feed might be good for boosting feed intake and growth performance for fish. For growth performance benefits, about 8% to 10% of krill meal for 10 to 12 weeks is deemed sufficient.

Another important conclusion was that at inclusion levels of 10-15%, the astaxanthin in krill meal transfers to salmonid fillets, enhancing colouring and overall fillet quality. The addition of krill meal (10 to 15%) improves the fillet quality by enhancing stiffness and minimising gaping.

According to the findings, including 10-15% krill meal in the salmonid diet may be helpful to liver and intestinal health. It's thought to be because krill contains phospholipids and phospholipid-bound EPA and DHA, which aid to prevent fat formation and inflammation in the liver and intestine.

The scientists said more research is required to have a better understanding of the advantages of krill in salmonids and the biological mechanisms involved.

-      Fish Information & Services