The top 5 most asked questions about krill in Southeast Asia

1. Why is krill more sustainable than other marine ingredients?

Aker QRILL Company: A global recommendation for sustainable development is to include marine ingredients from a lower trophic level in aquaculture feeds. Krill is a sustainable and pure alternative to fish meal and is characterized by a high content of omega-3 phospholipids, as well as a healthy biomass, making it the sustainable choice for addressing the increasingly short supply of fish meal. In addition, the Antarctic krill fishery is one of the world’s most sustainable fisheries. Aker QRILL Company is specifically known for its near-zero bycatch, its fully transparent operations, and its Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification – which is the highest sustainability standard for fisheries worldwide.

2. How can we use krill to reduce feed cost?

Aker QRILL Company: Krill meal can be used as a formulation tool to decrease the reliance on fishmeal, which helps improve the cost efficiency and sustainability of feeds. By maintaining krill meal inclusion levels between 3-5% of the diet (for example, 50 kg/MT in starters and 30 kg/MT in grower feeds), krill meal can reduce formula cost while improving performance in low-fishmeal shrimp and marine species diets.

3. In the hot and humid climate of Southeast Asia, how do you ensure that krill products stay fresh after the production date?

Aker QRILL Company: All Aker QRILL Company products undergo extensive stability testing. They come with recommended storage conditions and their stated shelf life is a good indicator of the stability of the krill meal under these conditions – in the unopened, original packaging. If the storage conditions deviate from this, shelf life may be reduced.

4. Why do we measure less fat in the krill meal contents than what Aker QRILL Company states?

Aker QRILL Company: Krill meal has a complex composition of lipids, and to be able to correctly quantify the amount of fat in the krill meal, you must use a suitable, qualified method. For krill meal that means using a method that extracts the lipids using both polar and non-polar solvents, to ensure that the total contents are extracted. The most appropriate method is Bligh & Dyer, which is what Aker BioMarine uses. There are, however, different methods that can be used for extracting fats. If a less suitable method is used, such as Soxhlet or Acid Hydrolysis, then you are likely to underestimate the fat contents in the krill meal.

5. What should we do if our QRILL Aqua packaging is punctured or torn?

Aker QRILL Company: If the packaging has minor damage, such as a tear or small opening, it is recommended that the bag be repaired with suitable tape or plastic film. Make sure that excess air is removed before sealing the tear/hole. Farmers should make sure that the product is consumed as soon as possible after opening.