Lallemand Animal Nutrition has announced that the European Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health has voted for the authorisation of its probiotic, Bactocell, for use as a zootechnical feed additive in salmonids and shrimp.

Bactocell is the first probiotic authorised for such use in aquaculture in the EU.

This authorisation is based on the recognition of the quality and safety (QPS status) as well as the efficacy of Bactocell in beneficially enhancing salmonid and shrimp production.

In salmonids, Bactocell is able to improve the quality of the final fish products by increasing the number of well-conformed fish, preventing the Vertebral Compression Syndrome. This syndrome, which is thought to affect over 20 percent of rainbow trout harvested, constitutes an important economic loss for fish farmers.

In shrimp, Bactocell is able to increase survival and growth performance. The trials submitted with the application dossier unequivocally demonstrated beneficial effects in terms of growth enhancement, feed utilisation, as well as improved resistance against Vibrio sp. infections.

Bactocell is already authorised since 2005 for use as a zootechnical feed additive in fattening pigs and chickens. Lallemand has recently sought to expand the use of this specific strain to cover use in layers.

Lallemand Animal Nutrition is dedicated to the development, production, and marketing of profitable, natural and differentiated solutions for animal nutrition and health. The company's core products are live bacteria for probiotics and silage inoculants, specific yeast for probiotics, and high value yeast derivatives. Lallemand is a major supplier of probiotics and silage inoculants in Europe, North America and Africa.