WHAT FISH EAT IS IMPORTANT FOR FISH HEALTH

Krill is a part of the natural salmon diet in the oceans. It is most famous as a rich source of Omega-3’s, but krill meal also contains a well-suited range of amino acids that the fish need to build healthy tissues. The whole package of nutrients, including several important vitamins, astaxanthin and minerals may be the reason why we have found better fillet quality and improvements in several health parameters when the fish has been fed with krill.

Phospholipids and Omega-3s are essential components in a healthy diet, both for humans and fish. A sufficient amount of omega-3 in the cells is critical for keeping the cells healthy, and a high content of omega-3 fatty acids in the diet is associated with improved fish welfare through stressful situations like disease, treatments and handling. The omega-3 fatty acids are particularly important for the good function of central organs such as the heart, gills and liver.

Omega-3 is bound in a chemical structure such as either triglyceride or phospholipid. The omega-3 fatty acids in phospholipid form are efficiently absorbed and distributed to the fish's cell membranes, which largely consists of phospholipids. In comparison, when Omega-3 is fed as triglycerides a substantial part is burned directly as energy or stored as body fat. Thus, a larger part of the valuable omega-3s are can be biologically active and contribute to improving the health of the cells when fed as phospholipids.

Phospholipids are quite similar to triglycerides, but they vary slightly in shape and function. While triglycerides have a glycerol backbone and three fatty acids, phospholipids have two fatty acids and one phosphate group connected to the glycerol backbone. This difference is crucial as the structure makes the phospholipids polar, and makes them able to be both fat soluble and water soluble at once. This is important for their biological function in the membranes.

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It is also worth noting that the main phospholipid in krill is phosphatidyl choline. The choline in the phospholipids are important vitamin-like nutrient that is essential for the normal cell function.

Fish have limited ability to make phospholipids themselves. They therefore need this added to their diet.

Being a rich source of omega-3’s in phospholipid form, in addition to the well suited range of amino acids and micro nutrients, krill is by nature a well-suited package of nutrients to support healthy growth in fish.