December 12, 2024

Canola meal explored as sustainable aquafeed alternative

Onda, Canada's largest contract research organisation specialising in aquaculture, has joined forces with the Canola Council of Canada (CCC) to explore the potential of canola-based feed meal in aquaculture production.

This collaboration forms part of an innovative Canola AgriScience Cluster research project aimed at fostering sustainability in the aquaculture industry while expanding the market for Canadian canola.

The initiative seeks to address the rising global demand for seafood by developing sustainable alternatives for aquafeed. Myrna Gillis, CEO of Onda, emphasised the importance of this research, stating that it tackles the challenges of sustainability in aquaculture while opening new market opportunities for Canadian canola.

Canola meal, a cost-effective plant protein with a balanced amino acid profile, has garnered growing interest as a feed ingredient in aquaculture. The long production cycle of salmon presents an opportunity to incorporate canola meal into cost-effective feed formulations.

Onda, which has expertise in evaluating plant-based feed formulations, is collaborating with the CCC's team of canola production specialists. Together, they aim to deepen knowledge of canola as a key ingredient in high-performance aquaculture feeds. Chris Manchur, agronomy specialist and research lead at CCC, expressed optimism about the potential of this research to enhance the understanding of canola meal's nutritional value, build market opportunities and contribute to value-added food and feed systems.

The 18-month project will evaluate the effects of Canadian canola meal in fish feed on growth, disease resistance, and environmental impact. Key objectives include updating nutrient digestibility values, generating new data for aquaculture and conducting a life cycle analysis of canola meal used in salmon feed. Onda's Nutrition, Health, FeedTech, and LabTech units will spearhead the research, with findings to be disseminated through collaborative efforts.

Ivan Tankovski, Onda's director of nutrition, highlighted the significance of the project, noting promising initial results from digestibility and benchtop studies. The next trial phase is anticipated to provide a comprehensive understanding of canola meal's potential as a sustainable feed ingredient.

The results of this collaboration are expected to contribute to more environmentally responsible aquaculture practices and help the industry reduce its reliance on marine-based feed ingredients.

-      Global Seafood Alliance