New review article: Krill improves health and performance of salmonids

Written by Lisa Miller - Communications Director, US

In a recently released review article from Aker BioMarine, researchers conclude that Antarctic krill products have a positive impact on the feed intake, growth performance, fillet quality and organ health in salmonids, based on more than a decade of well-documented scientific studies and experimentation.

The future of aquaculture depends on sustainable and functional feed ingredients

The long-term sustainability of the aquaculture industry demands a viable range of alternative ingredients, to reduce the burden on fishmeal and fish oil for feeds. Antarctic krill products have emerged as strong contenders due to their sustainable sourcing and significant health benefits. In Aker BioMarine’s review article, the authors aggregate key findings from multiple studies on salmonids, to present a holistic overview of the specific benefits of krill meal on the fish growth, fillet quality, and organ health.

“This review paper is unique as it’s a culmination of multiple studies all showing that 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. Sustainability of ingredient sources is an increasingly important factor for the aquaculture industry, which is why use of Antarctic krill is helping salmonid farmers to reduce their reliance on costly and limited-in-supply fish products,” says Kiranpreet Kaur, PhD, Director R&D, Salmonids, Aker BioMarine.

Review article reveals these key ‘krill’ benefits for salmonids

Krill meal inclusion in salmonid feed is suggested to be beneficial for enhancing feed intake and growth performance for fish, due to its feed attractant properties, with just 8-10% krill meal for 10-12 weeks considered sufficient to achieve growth performance benefits.
The astaxanthin present in krill meal transfers to salmonid filets, improving pigmentation and overall fillet quality, based on inclusion levels of 10-15%. Besides, krill meal inclusion (10-15%) enhances the fillet quality by increasing firmness and by reducing gaping.
Inclusion of 10-15% krill meal in the salmonid diet is beneficial for liver and intestinal health, due to the phospholipids, and phospholipid bound EPA and DHA in krill that help to reduce fat accumulation and inflammation in the liver and intestinal tissues.

Krill products are sustainably sourced, with an abundant and well-regulated biomass

Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) is one of the most abundant species on Earth, with an estimated biomass of 500 million tons. Krill is an important part of the marine food chain in the Antarctic Ocean, and it is strictly regulated by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Resources (CCAMLR). Its plentiful supply and well-documented nutritional benefits have made krill an attractive ingredient for the aquaculture industry.

More information on Aker BioMarine’s review article

The recent review article from Aker BioMarine, titled “Effects of Antarctic krill products on feed intake, growth performance, fillet quality and health in Salmonids” provides in-depth documentation of the benefits, as observed through scientific study, of krill meal in salmonid diets can be found here: https://www.hindawi.com/journals/anu/2022/3170854/.

Krill meal supports better aquaculture outcomes during challenging winter season

In many salmon producing countries, winter is a time of cold-water temperatures and stormy weather. These conditions may cause stress and challenge fish welfare, as salmon becomes more vulnerable due to the reduced state of its immune system under cold temperatures. Ensuring that the feed is attractive and that important nutrients are easily accessible to the fish may support the salmon in withstanding these challenging conditions. A robust fish is better equipped to avoid disease and will more quickly recover following any sickness or stressful events.

QRILL Aqua at Aqua Nor 2023: Unveiling krill’s role in fish nutrition

The aquaculture event of the year, Aqua Nor, is right around the corner, on 22-24 August in Trondheim, Norway. With participants from around the globe, Aqua Nor is where leaders and experts from across the industry gather to discuss the future of fish farming.

Krill meal: a powerful and reliable ally for aquafeed formulations

One of aquaculture’s major concerns is to deliver high-quality products for human consumption. The diet given to farmed fish and shrimp must contain all the essential nutrients to deliver healthy animal products to consumers. However, the current aquaculture industry is facing a challenging quest: reducing and even removing fish-based products from aquafeeds while keeping nutritional quality and feed performance. Shifting from fish meal-based diets to plant-based or alternative protein and lipid sources has proven to be an arduous task. The solution can rely on krill meal, a powerful supplement produced from Antarctic krill. But why is krill so appealing for aquafeeds? The secret of krill meal is its unique blend of proteins, lipids, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. This makes it an ideal feed additive to fill the nutritional gaps of more sustainable plant-based or alternative animal diets.