Vol 11 Issue 4 2019

AQUAFEED Advances in processing & formulation

MARINE OILS
AND PROTEINS
Calanus, a new marine resource
Mixing in aquafeeds
RAS feed production
ASC Feed Standard
Selenium in antioxidant stress
EURASTiP, connecting Europe and Southeast Asia

Published by: Aquafeed.com LLC. Kailua, Hawaii 96734, USA www.aquafeed.com info@aquafeed.com
 3

AQUAFEED VOL 11 ISSUE 4 2019

Contents

MARINE OILS AND PROTEINS 23

Incorporation of marine-based ingredients improves feed efficiency and growth performance. Calanus finmarchicus is a new
resource with promising results in aquafeeds.

ASC FEED STANDARD 34 RAS FEED PRODUCTION 15 SELENIUM ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY 37

The new feed standard will reward farms How important is the type of extrusion Trials have shown that providing organic
and feed producers who work towards platform used to produce feeds selenium improves antioxidant capacity
more responsible aquaculture feed. destined for RAS usage. and ability to cope with stress in fish.

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019

4

AQUAFEED VOL 11 ISSUE 4 2019

Contents
6 Interview

9 News Review

Product Focus
12 Dinnissen vacuum coating technology

9 13 Feedinamics: an unprecedented tool to calculate the

nutritional value of raw materials online

15 
Laboratory analysis and lab scale demonstrations
highlight extrusion processing conditions critical
for high performance RAS feed production

18 Mixing in aquafeed production

23 Marine Oils and Proteins

 considerable resource of a tiny crustacean - Calanus finmarchicus
23 A
27 M
 arine ingredients in aquaculture feeds

30 29 K
 rill performance for all

34  ewarding responsible production and sourcing:

R
ASC’s new Feed Standard

37 Hydroxy-selenomethionine reduces the effects of stress in fish

42 EURASTiP, bridging the gap between Europe and Southeast Asia

48  palatability enhancer that improves the performance of

A
feed pellets in shrimp aquaculture

Columns
34


21 Peter Hutchinson – Ask the expert

32 Greg Lutz – Trends & developments
39 Soy Aquaculture Alliance
45 Albert Tacon – Recent publications

50 Calendar of Events

To read previous issues in digital format or to

47
order print copies, visit:
http://www.aquafeed.com/publications/aquafeed-magazine/

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019

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6

Entrepreneur, past president of the World Aquaculture Society and co-founder and president
of the Global Aquaculture Alliance, Dr. George Chamberlain started his career in aquaculture at
Ralston Purina Company, which he joined following his MS and Ph.D. degrees from Texas A&M
University. There, he directed Purina’s aquaculture feed program. His journey in aquaculture has
led him through work on genetically selected marine shrimp, soy-based feed development and
shrimp farming. Dr. George Chamberlain is managing director and co-owner of Kona Bay.

INTERVIEW with George Chamberlain

AQUAFEED: To start, would you give us a brief
outline of your journey through aquaculture,
and how it brought you to where you are today?
GC: My career path, probably like that of most people,
wasn’t pre-planned. It was the result of fortuitous events
and, more importantly, helpful mentors who guided me
along the way. It began with graduate research, where I
learned the value of sound science. Then, it progressed
to the corporate environment, where teamwork and
trust were essential. Finally, I engaged in shrimp farming
as an entrepreneur, where I felt the satisfaction of
working closely with others to build and grow a business.
Early on, I enjoyed the opportunity to meet with
colleagues and leverage our collective knowledge at
annual meetings of the World Aquaculture Society
(WAS). Eventually, I devoted time as a board member
and officer of WAS. When harsh environmental
criticism fell on the aquaculture community in the
mid 1990’s, I helped establish the Global Aquaculture
Alliance to refute the exaggerations and guide the
sector toward a more sustainable future.
AQUAFEED: Certification has become a core activity
of the Global Aquaculture Alliance: what impact is it
having on aquafeed production?
GC: GAA’s Best Aquaculture Practices standards certify
each step of the production chain including hatcheries,
farms, feed mills, and processing plants. The feed mill
standard is driving change by requiring use of responsibly
sourced ingredients such as fishmeal, soy, and palm

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019


oil. For example, an increasing proportion of marine
ingredients used by a given feed mill must come from
certified sources or from accredited improver programs.
In the latest edition of the BAP feed standard, additional
social accountability clauses deal with such issues as
labor rights, worker safety and health, and community
relations. Stricter controls are emerging to prevent
resistance to antibiotics deemed as critically important
for human health by the World Health Organization.
AQUAFEED: How would you answer those who say
that there are too many certification bodies out there
and that certification is just too expensive?
GC: It is a valid argument that different markets require
different certifications, which can result in duplicate
costs for producers. An eventual solution for this is
Global Seafood Assurances (GSA), which will recognize
equivalency among standards that are benchmarked
to robust and credible international guidelines for food
safety (Global Food Safety Initiative), environmental
integrity (Global Seafood Sustainability Initiative), and
social accountability (Sustainable Supply Chain Initiative).
The GSA is under development with support from GAA.
Certification does add cost, because it involves a third-
party inspector travelling to the facility and conducting
an annual audit. We do our best to minimize these
expenses by coordinating several audits in a given region
at the same time. We also offer more cost-effective
group and cluster audits where prerequisite criteria are
met. Aside from any investment required for a facility to
achieve compliance with BAP standards, the actual cost
of the certification audit is only a few tenths of a US cent
per kilo of final product.
AQUAFEED: Can we talk a bit about Kona Bay?
It is arguably one of the largest and most successful
suppliers of SPF shrimp broodstock and PLs in the
world. Would you put some numbers to that and
give a snapshot of the business today?
GC: Kona Bay was one of the original shrimp breeding
companies that emerged in the mid 1990’s to
commercialize and further improve genetic lines
developed by the Oceanic Institute SPF program.
It began in a small facility near Kona on the Big Island
of Hawaii, but it later expanded to the island of Kauai
where it includes a breeding facility, hatchery, farm,
and processing plant. One of its major strengths is
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019
7
its isolation, a critical factor for any SPF breeding
program. It is the only shrimp farming activity on
Kauai, which is separated from other islands by
over 150 km of deep ocean.
In 2009, Kona Bay was acquired by Integrated
Aquaculture International (IAI), which was started
by Ken Morrison, Chris Howell, Donald Lightner, and
me. IAI had long experience with shrimp farming in
Latin America and Asia. Shortly after the acquisition,
Dr. Richard Towner, a highly experienced poultry and
fish geneticist, was enlisted to guide the Kona Bay
breeding program using family selection coupled with
SNP markers, laboratory challenges, and field trials.
The program has grown rapidly under the leadership
and management of Jim Sweeney, to supply markets for
SPF vannamei broodstock throughout Asia. Kona Bay is
the largest broodstock supplier to India and Indonesia.
The Kona Bay breeding program began with the strategy
of offering a single line with balanced traits for growth,
disease resistance, and reproductive performance. Now,
distinct production systems have emerged in different
regions that require more segmented broodstock
characteristics including a very fast growing animals
(Kona Bay Speed line) for farms with either little disease
incidence or high biosecurity; a specific pathogen
tolerant animals (Kona Bay Strength line) for farms
with high disease prevalence; and a blend of growth
and resistance (Kona Bay Balance line) for areas with
moderate disease prevalence.
AQUAFEED: You have been a big proponent of
biofloc systems. Is that how Kona Bay operates?
What are the advantages?
GC: Kona Bay uses biofloc systems for some of its
processes, particularly for growout tanks, raceways and
ponds. We use round, plastic lined ponds with center
drains, so it is easy to collect solids from the center drain
and resuspend them at the top edge to create a floc
system. This improves water quality, reduces the need
for exchange, and encourages a diverse microflora of
beneficial bacteria.
AQUAFEED: How does sustainability play out in
the genetic development of Kona Bay Pacific
White shrimp?
GC: In many ways, sustainability is synonymous with
resource efficiency, i.e., producing more with less.
8
At Kona Bay, we attempt to improve sustainability by
breeding shrimp with faster growth, better FCR, higher
reproductive performance, and greater capacity to
accept soy-based feeds.
Given the concerns about climate change and carbon
emissions, we power our breeding center and farm
with hydroelectric power derived from rainfall on the
central mountain of Kauai. We are committed to the
environmental, social, and food safety standards of
GAA and are working to achieve BAP certification of our
breeding/hatchery facility, farm, and processing plant.
AQUAFEED: What has been the impact of the
partnership with Hendrix Genetics?
GC: Hendrix Genetics is new to shrimp breeding, but they
have strong, world-class experience in breeding turkeys,
layers, pigs, trout and salmon. They strengthened our
programs in animal health, genomic selection, strategic
planning, and financial management. With their help
we are expanding our nucleus breeding center and our
partnerships with regional players. Their experience with
salmon facilities, which are generally more advanced
than shrimp facilities, helps us leapfrog ahead. We
recently engaged with Hendrix Genetics in a partnership
with Nutreco (parent company of Skretting) and
Ecuacultivos in a breeding/hatchery program in Ecuador.
AQUAFEED: Now that Hendrix Genetics has hooked
up with Protix in the development of insects, does
this mean we will see insect feeds used for shrimp?
GC: Kona Bay recognizes that nutrition and genetics are
closely linked, so we have maintained an in-house shrimp
nutrition program for nearly 20 years. We feel that
insect proteins will grow to become a more mainstream
component of aquaculture feed ingredients over
time, but they are not a nutritionally balanced protein
source in themselves. They must be coupled with other
ingredients to provide the full complement of nutrients.
In most animal feeds, synthetic amino acids are used
to balance the amino acid profile, but this doesn’t work
well in shrimp feeds due to losses of synthetic amino
acids through leaching. Kona Bay has developed and
patented a heat-stable form of encapsulated amino acids
that enables use of alternative vegetable and animal
proteins like insect meal. Another issue that emerges
as marine ingredients are replaced by insect meals and
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019
vegetable proteins is loss of attractability of the feed,
which affects feed conversion. Consequently, we have
also developed a natural attractant mixture that contains
no animal ingredients and performs on par with krill
meal, but at a fraction of the inclusion level.
AQUAFEED: With a background in Black Tiger shrimp,
are you planning to introduce P. monodon to the
market any time soon?
GC: We began breeding Black Tiger shrimp in Malaysia
in 2000. We established a subsequent Black Tiger
breeding program in conjunction with the Brunei
Department of Fisheries in 2006. In 2015, we transferred
a portion of the Brunei stocks through quarantine
into Hawaii. We are now in the process of growing
broodstock of those Kona Bay Black Tiger shrimp in
Malaysia for the purpose of conducting field trials
next year. If results are satisfactory, we plan to begin
commercial sales next year.
AQUAFEED: I am seeing Kona Bay shrimp all over the
place in Hawai’i these days. Have you expanded shrimp
sales to retailers and food service outside the state?
GC: We produce 300-400 mt/year of premium,
large (30-50 g), head-on food shrimp from Kona Bay
broodstock under the brand, “Kauai Shrimp”.
These have superb taste and texture and have won
numerous cooking contests. We are marketing these
on the mainland through distributors and through our
website, www.kauaishrimpfresh.com, where they can
be purchased fresh from the farm and delivered
anywhere in the US overnight. Since the seawater
in Kauai is so pristine, we are also marketing Kauai
Shrimp as sashimi grade (can be eaten raw) to Japan.
AQUAFEED: And lastly, what change, or development
would you most like to see in aquafeeds?
GC: I am pleased to see the increasing transition
to extrusion rather than pelleting of shrimp feeds.
Extrusion enables use of a wider range of ingredients
including liquids and wheat byproducts with high fiber.
It cooks with higher temperature and pressure which
improves starch gelatinization, water stability, and
digestibility. The capital cost of extrusion equipment is
higher than that of pelleting, but the operating cost is
often lower, due to savings in raw material costs.
 9

NEWS REVIEW
Highlights of recent news from Aquafeed.com
Sign up at Aquafeed.com for our free weekly newsletter for up-to-the-minute industry news

USDA deregulates Cargill's proprietary canola for cultivation

Aquaculture farmers will have
access to a sustainable, plant-based
source of long-chain omega-3 fatty
acids for aquafeed, now that the
USDA has deregulated Cargill's
proprietary canola for cultivation
in the United States. Currently,
aquafeed for farm-raised salmon
contains fish oil to help fish reach
desired EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty
acid levels. By combining technology
from BASF with its canola innovation
capabilities and aquaculture
expertise, Cargill is able to provide
farmers access to Latitude™, a
plant-based alternative that relieves
harvesting pressure on wild fish
populations, while meeting the
market need for a reliable s
upply of long-chain omega-3s at
a predictable price.
The company has been testing
omega-3 canola varieties under
permit in multiple locations in
Montana since 2015, and with
USDA deregulation, Cargill plans to
advance the commercialization of its
long-chain omega-3 canola trait in a
tightly-managed closed loop supply
chain. The USDA deregulation is an
important step in the regulatory
approval strategy for Cargill's
new omega-3 canola.

CLEAN FEED.
CLEAN WATER.
Wenger Extrusion Solutions for RAS Feed Production

Wenger innovative extrusion solutions deliver clean, durable, nutritional

feeds specifically designed for the most efficient RAS operations. Feeds
produced on Wenger systems maintain their integrity better and longer,
for clean and clear water. So you feed the fish, not the filter.

Learn more about the Wenger RAS advantage.

Email us at aquafeed@wenger.com today.

PHONE: 785.284.2133 | EMAIL: AQUAFEED@WENGER.COM | WENGER.COM

USA | BELGIUM | TAIWAN | BRASIL | CHINA

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019

10
Amandus Kahl introduces new fish feed extruder
After 20 years of experience in
extrusion systems, Amandus Kahl
has developed a new designed
extruder in order to meet the
increasing requirements of the
fast-growing fish feed and pet food
markets. The new extrusion product
family comes with four different
machine sizes covering the whole
range of performance from lab-
scale up to 10 t/h industrial large-
scale applications. All machines
are available as machine-only or as
turnkey extrusion lines comprising
all required process steps like milling
and mixing, steam conditioning,
extrusion, drying, coating, cooling
F3 Challenge Launches Carnivore Competition
The Future of Fish Feed (F3) third
contest – F3 Challenge – Carnivore
Edition – is now open to companies
that produce and sell “fish-free”
feed for farm-raised carnivorous
species. Contest registration
is open until April 30, 2020.
A US$35,000 prize will be
awarded in each of three
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019
and packing.
The new extruder comes with
the proven Amandus Kahl stop
bolt technology for perfect
mixing and venting in the first
barrel section. Dedicated process
zones for compaction, cooking
and pumping assure high flexibility
and various adjustment options
and exchangeable screw elements
ensure perfect adaption to
changing formulations and
quality parameters.
These features are complemented
by very effective fine-control
measures like screw speed
adjustment, steam/water addition
categories –salmonid, shrimp,
and other carnivorous species –
to the contestant that produces
to the extruder barrel and
individually controllable heating/
cooling jackets - all adjustable
during operation for direct product
quality response. The combination
of individually adjustable screw
elements and the described fine-
control measures enable to
satisfy its customers’ requirements
in the vast majority of cases.
Complex and expensive additional
equipment to influence expansion
behavior is not required, allowing
customers to save investment
as well as operational costs.
During the design process,
the main focus was to create
an operator-friendly machine.
This is achieved by a double-hinge
head connection, ensuring fast die
changes and fast knife replacement.
The frame-mounted touch-screen
based operator panel complements
the user-friendly design and gives
access to all relevant operational
data, settings and options during
start up and operation.
The first series machines are sold
to countries in northern Africa and
commissioning is expected to be
finished in early 2020.
and sells the most feed made
without using wild-caught fish
or any marine-animal ingredient.
Feeds for all categories must
not contain any ingredients
consisting of or derived from
marine animals, including but
not limited to, fish, squid,
shrimp, or krill.
 11

UK manufacturer introduces new lumpfish and wrasse diets

World Feeds, a UK manufacturer attractive to
of animal feeds, has entered the the cleaner fish.
aquaculture marketplace with new Crucially, as the
diets for lumpfish and wrasse. blocks maintain
The company that has been integrity in
producing feeds for ornamental fish, water for up to
steps into the aquaculture scene with 24 hours, they
Vita Aqua Feeds (VAF). VAF diets are encourage and
targeted at one of salmon farming’s facilitate natural
biggest issues, the control of sea lice. grazing behavior,
The company produces feed blocks allowing the
that are produced using bespoke larger fish to
machinery, designed in-house. satiate before the smaller fish take require no refrigeration or mixing
Cold-extrusion process is employed their turn. This subsequently leads to and have a two-year shelf life,
producing soft and malleable reduced aggression during feeding. massively reducing storage costs
blocks that are highly digestible and The blocks are complete diets and and preparation time.

Aller Aqua and TripleNine cooperate

on marine raw material development
Aller Aqua and marine ingredients
producer TripleNine have entered
a research collaboration to identify
functional components of marine
raw materials that benefit fish
health and growth. Feeding trials
on selected fish species will be
conducted at Aller Aqua Research.
“Marine raw materials form
the basis of many high-quality
fish feeds. In this collaboration
with marine raw material expert
TripleNine, we are aiming to make
maximum use of marine raw
materials and their functional
components for optimizing feed
performance. Value addition
to marine ingredients will also
promote the continuous sustainable
use of marine resources in fish feed,
by making the most out of them,”
said R&D Director at Aller Aqua,
Hanno Slawski.

New shrimp diet to maximize performance and flexibility

Shrimp farming has become fiercely competitive
in recent years. With farmers increasingly
seeking new cost efficiencies as well as ways to
differentiate their products in the marketplace,
Skretting has developed Xpand, a new diet.
The new innovation provides farms with far
greater levels of flexibility. Without taking any
shortcuts or unnecessary risks, by feeding their
shrimp Xpand, farmers can reduce the associated
costs and impacts of farming in exposed water
locations by harvesting earlier at the same size;
or alternatively, they can choose produce
larger sized shrimp within their usual
production schedules.
The new diet is the result of a four-year
innovative R&D conducted by Skretting Aquaculture
Research Centre (ARC). Xpand incorporates the
investigation and validation of many different ideas.
Built on a thorough understanding of the digestive
physiology of shrimp, this development focused on
three pillars: improved growth, improved nutrition
and pond support.

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019

PRODUCT FOCUS
Dinnissen vacuum coating technology –
more than 25 years of innovation
The invention of the vacuum coating process,
more than 25 years ago, was an evolution of the
Dinnissen Pegasus® Paddle Mixer. In this double-
axle mixer, the product is raised in a fluidized zone,
giving a gentle, fast and energy efficient mixing
process. In experiments carried out in a special
mixer under vacuum conditions, high concentrations
of liquid were sprayed onto the feed pellets.
Upon removal of the vacuum, the liquid was
drawn deeply into the coated pellets.
In this way, Dinnissen succeeded to gradually
increase the fat content of pellets up to 42%.
The vacuum coating process also helps retain the
taste and color of the product and preserve the
action of functional additives such as vitamins,
More information: Dinnissen Process Technology E: powtech@dinnissen.nl
BioMar partners to bring farmed fish closer to end consumers
BioMar and French rainbow trout producer Aquadis
Naturellement partner to bring a natural and
sustainable seafood choice to consumers. The French
company’s rainbow trout will be fed with BioMar’s
SalveaTM, a new feed concept based on two pillars -
closer to nature and with a sustainable profile.
The new recipe has natural characteristics as it contains
naturally derived pigments, added natural antioxidants
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019
minerals, ameliorators, yeast and
enzymes. In a Pegasus® Vacuum
Coater, functional additives are
introduced after the heating stage,
which ensures that heat-sensitive
substances remain active after
being added to the product. An
additional advantage of vacuum
coating is that pellets aren’t greasy
on the outside anymore. This
increases the flow out of the silo,
prevents pollution and reduces
contamination at farms.
The company has improved the vacuum technology
over the past few years and made it suitable for many
other applications. The Pegasus® Lab Coater, for
example, is a great addition to any research department.
With this compact and easy-to-clean machine, testing
several recipes becomes a much easier task as adding
different ingredients and mixing small batches is possible
within relative short amounts of time.
Nowadays, the Pegasus® Vacuum Coater is used
worldwide. Available options such as oversized
hatches, hot-air treatment and CIP cleaning make
it suitable for many applications. With the latest
Pegasus® Vacuum Coater, customers can quickly
switch between recipes while still complying with
the strictest hygienic requirements.
and ingredients that resemble natural prey for fish,
such as insect meal. It also includes an increased level
of the healthy omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, which
have proven health benefits for both fish and humans.
Together with insect meal replacing part of the fish
meal, the SalveaTM recipe also uses fish trimmings
meal. This results in a FIFO as low as 0.3, making it
very sustainable.
 PRODUCT FOCUS

Feedinamics: an unprecedented tool to calculate the nutritional

value of raw materials online
After the success found by the INRA/AFZ’s “Tables of
composition and nutritional values of feed materials”
commonly known as “The Green Book,” the AFZ in
collaboration with Ajinomoto Animal Nutrition Europe
and the EAAP, published new tables of composition and
nutritional values INRA/CIRAD/AFZ in 2017. These new
tables are accessible at no charge and can be consulted
in English and French at www.feedtables.com. Like
“The Green Book”, these new tables allow nutritionists
and formulators to know the average nutritional
values of more than 300 raw materials according to
260 nutritional criteria. They are based on a database
of nearly 3 million values and take into account the
latest advances in animal nutrition. These new tables
incorporate the latest work carried out at the INRA for
establishing the new ruminants feeding system. The
given values are part of a statistics regular control and
the considerable number of data makes it possible to
generate equations of transition between the different
parameters when necessary. Although colossal, this Allix formulation software, directly access the calculated
work has its limits. Since 2013, the AFZ has wanted to go values without needing to import or export data. Each
beyond of what these classic tables offer. supplier of the tables of raw materials can thereby have
The AFZ started a research project to determine an interactive tool allowing its users to adapt, in terms
from the chemical composition data of raw materials, of parameterized equations, the raw material which he
the equations for predicting nutritional values. The has.
equations are specific for each raw material or group From the raw material analysis data entered by
of raw materials which makes possible to determine the nutritionist into the application, all the relevant
the composition and the nutritional values for a equations are activated and allows the user to quickly
raw material on demand. This gives formulators the determine the complete nutritional profile of the raw
possibility to know the nutritional interest of their own material. This nutritional profile can then be exported
raw materials and not just based on average values. as a CSV file or to a formulation software.
This work was achieved thanks to a research tax credit This application, from the website www.feedtables.
grant. The only missing piece was to put this tool at com, will be available on subscription. It will eventually
the service of users through an online platform. receive valuations of raw materials according to more
Thanks to A-Systems, software publisher of the and more criteria that are adapted to many animal
formulation software Allix, this RMLINK technology species and integrate regularly to the latest research
allows the online dynamic calculation of the nutritional from around the world.
values of raw materials. A-Systems puts services online The AFZ wishes to increase the outreach of its know-
so users can calculate dynamically the values of raw how in terms of the qualification of raw materials and
materials through the parameterized equations. Once put it at the service of the widest possible community
the raw materials are valued, the user can export the of users, both in France and abroad (the application is
results as a CVS file or, if he possesses a license for the available in French and English).

More information: Valerie HEUZE (AFZ) E: valerie.heuze@zootechnie.fr https://feedinamics.com/

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019

 15

Laboratory analysis and lab

scale demonstrations highlight
extrusion processing conditions
critical for high performance
RAS feed production
Dennis Funk, Galen Rokey and Kellen Russell, Wenger Manufacturing, Inc.

Physical characteristics of aqua feed pellets have

always been important to farmers. For years, high
expectations have centered around the requirements
of consistent size (diameter), correct buoyance, pellet
durability during transportation and handling, and
longevity once placed in water. The farmer’s eye and
the fish’s consumption rate and efficiency are the top
deciding factors on whether a feed’s performance
is acceptable or not. These quality demands have
been the measuring stick in the aquaculture farming
community for decades but are now seen as insufficient
due to the rapid growth and requirements of
Recirculation Aquaculture Systems (RAS).
The reason for this is due to the RAS requirement of
constant conditioning and filtering of water in order for
the system to maintain the proper balance of oxygen,
ammonia, and other water quality attributes. The
water quality management systems add a significant
cost to the overall operation and investment budget
(up to 35%)(1) and require consistent oversight and
maintenance as a troubled filter system can result in
a loss of the entire tank’s fish stock.
Filters capture particles from three main sources –
feces, pellet fines or pieces of a disintegrating pellet,
and nutrients leached out of the pellet. The feces aspect
is impossible to get away from but can be reduced using
recipes formulated with creative ingredients to help
bind fecal matter, allowing these particles to be more
easily and thoroughly removed from the water. This
Figure 1. Laboratory scale RAS testing. Tank on left with high
performance RAS feed and tank on right with feed not optimal
for RAS.
key capture is handled best in the diet formulation and
proper processing steps to improve digestibility. Feed
or feed particles and nutrients that are not consumed
must also be removed from the recirculated water
and can be reduced by proper diet formulation and
processing. How can these factors be controlled to
minimize a negative role in RAS operations?
Lab trials
Recent laboratory analysis and lab scale demonstrations
have highlighted the pellet integrity and leaching
sources that are best controlled via the extrusion
processing step as well as attention to diet formulation.
A wide variety of commercially available and laboratory
produced floating, sinking and shrimp feeds were
tested in a lab scale RAS system. Feeds were
manufactured and compared from four major extrusion
platforms – single screw, traditional twin screw, conical,

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019

16
Figure 2. Turbidity levels were measured over a time period for shrimp feeds made on different extrusion platforms.
and the newest twin-screw models which utilize
deep flighted screws and thermal energy for cooking.
The study’s aim was to determine which extrusion
platform consistently produced the feed most suited
to the strict RAS environment.
The study not only looked at the long held important
factors of pellet buoyancy and water integrity but
went further and measured turbidity of the water at
measured time intervals as a method to measure how
each product’s technical qualities would react inside the
RAS, and thus have an impact on the filter and water-
conditioning system. High water turbidity was indicative
of pellets with too many fines and weak durability and
became a key indicator for fat and other nutrients
leaching from the pellet.
Results
Results from the study show the finer and smaller
internal cell structure within a pellet as one key
influencer of pellet integrity and thus, water clarity. The
finer and more numerous cells allow for nutrients to be
more tightly secured inside the pellet which significantly
limited leaching nutrients. Securing the nutrients inside
each pellet has multiple benefits. The fish consumes
more nutrition with each pellet resulting in a higher
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019
feed conversion rate and provides the farmer with more
production profit. At the same time, the reduction of
particles and nutrients in the water can reduce the load
on conditioning and filtering systems, resulting in lower
filter maintenance costs and less opportunity for filter
system failures.
The ability of each extrusion platform to produce
the finer and smaller cell structure varied significantly.
Generally, feed samples made with single screw
machines showed the largest and most inconsistent cell
structures. These feeds often resulted in the highest
level of water contamination once placed into the lab
scale RAS systems. This was noticed both by visual
appearance and confirmed through turbidity monitors.
Feed samples made with traditional parallel shaft twin
screw extruders generally ranked better than single
screw systems in all aspects of cell structure, integrity
in the water and turbidity level. Conical twin screw
extruded samples showed consistent cell structure
development, high integrity in water and lower turbidity
levels than those from traditional twin and single
screw platforms.
The consistently top-performing feed samples were
those produced on twin screw technologies which
utilize deep flight geometries and allow for significantly
 17

higher levels of thermal energy to replace mechanical References:

energy in cooking the extrudate. These feeds showed (1) A Guide to Recirculation Aquaculture, Jacob Bregnballe, 2015,
FAO and Eurofish, pg.50.
unique cell structure development, exceptional integrity
inside the water and the lowest turbidity numbers
which was easily noticeable by visual inspection of the
water. This high-volume twin screw technology coupled
More information:
with intense preconditioning prior to extrusion resulted
Dennis Funk
in RAS feeds with desirable technical qualities. Vice President Aqua Feed Division
Wenger Manufacturing, Inc., USA
Conclusion E: aquafeed@wenger.com
The conclusion of the lab scale study is that there
is significant importance on the type of extrusion
platform used to produce feeds destined for RAS
usage. While traditional extrusion systems have been Galen Rokey
able to supply adequate feeds to help RAS farmers Process Technology Director
develop their markets, true growth in the RAS sector Wenger Manufacturing, Inc., USA
will be facilitated with the highest performing feeds. E: aquafeed@wenger.com
This will supply consistent nutrients to the fish, reduce
the load on conditioning and filtering systems and will
in turn reduce the costs of maintaining these systems.
Perhaps most importantly, it will mitigate the risks that
Kellen Russell
occurs when conditioning and filtering systems become
Technical Support
overloaded and RAS water chemistry becomes toxic for Wenger Manufacturing, Inc., USA
the fish. Advancements in feeds specifically produced E: aquafeed@wenger.com
for recirculating systems is a critical step in the growth
and advancement of the global RAS industry.

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019

18
Mixing in aquafeed production
Radmilo Čolović, Institute of Food Technology
Unlike capture fishery production which is relatively
constant, global aquaculture has been facing continuous
growth for decades. Consequently, global aquafeed
production is growing too and reached approximately
40 million metric tons in 2018 (Alltech Global Feed
Survey). The goal of the aquafeed industry is to produce
feed with specific ingredient composition and physical
shape which will satisfy nutritional and functional needs
of specific type and age of aquatic organisms, and thus
enable the aquatic organisms to feed efficiently and
grow to their full potential. Special attention is given
to sourcing of nutritious ingredients and formulation
of the diets which will enable efficient production of
aquatic species. However, only a homogenous diet
would provide all necessary nutrients to the aquatic
species. Excess variability in diet composition can
have adverse effects on process parameters, product
quality as well as on performance of aquatic organisms.
The lower the concentration of ingredients, the more
difficult it is to achieve mixture homogeneity since
some of the ingredients can be dosed in very low
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019
concentrations, such as 10 g/ton. Therefore, mixing
is one of the most essential operations in aquafeed
production and special attention should be paid to
the selection of mixing equipment and optimization
of the mixing process.
Mixer selection
When selecting a mixer, aquafeed producers should
pay attention to the following:
• Mixing efficiency should be in line with customer
needs and national regulation.
• Mixing time should be as short as possible for
acceptable mixing homogeneity.
• Mixer capacity should be adjusted to the capacity
of the other equipment in the line.
• Material of construction should be durable.
• Mixer should be able to have a quick and
complete discharge.
• Mixer should have possibility for liquid addition.
• Internals and clearances should be designed
for easy cleaning.

Figure 1. CV values for homogenous and inhomogeneous mixtures for the same average concentration of ingredients.
• Mixer size and position should be in accordance
with headroom availability.
• Mixer price should be acceptable.
Measuring mixing homogeneity
Although in the production of aquafeed it is not
possible to obtain ideally homogeneous mixture of
different ingredients, the goal is to obtain the most
homogeneous mixture possible. Mixing homogeneity
is estimated by the parameter called coefficient of
variation (CV), which indicates how a single ingredient
is distributed among the whole batch. The higher the
homogeneity, the lower the CV value (Fig. 1).
Maximally allowed CV value usually depends on the
national regulation and/or requirements of different
quality standards. The optimal mixing time is the
shortest mixing time for which it gets satisfactory
homogeneity, i.e. CV value. If the mixing time is longer
than optimal, production capacity of the mixer is
decreased, which eventually may decrease capacity of
downstream equipment. Also, depending on the type of
mixer, prolongation of mixing time can cause de-mixing
of the dry mix, with additional use of labor and energy.
On the other hand, if the dry blend is not completely
mixed, portions of the aquafeed will deviate from
prescribed formulation.
Mixer types
The different mixer types available on the market
differ in the mixing principle, such as:
• Tumbling type with rotating vessels - motion
caused by free fall.
• Double ribbon mixers, vertical screw mixers,
Nauta mixers - motion caused by thrust.
• Mixers with paddles and plows - motion caused
by thrust and centrifugal force.
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019
19
• High intensity turbine mixers - motion caused
by centrifugal force.
Not all of the listed mixers are occurring in the
practice for production of aquafeed. Double ribbon,
vertical, and similar mixers were widely used in the
factories, but nowadays are mainly used for an on-
farm mixing. Typical mixing time for these mixer
types is ranging from several minutes up to 20
minutes, depending on the application and legal
requirements for homogeneity. These mixers are
sometimes struggling with the liquid addition, due
to inhomogeneous distribution and caking, and also
might have problems when the quick discharge is
required. Also, not all of these mixer types are
able to reach CV below 5 percent for the ingredients
in small dosage quantities (mixing ratio of 1:100.000).
On the other hand, these mixers are affordable
for even small fish farmers and easy to use onsite.
Mixers with paddles and plows, sometimes called
fluidizing zone mixers, are typically used in the
modern aquafeed production. These mixers can
have single or a twin shaft with paddles or plows.
The mixing elements are lifting the particles from
the center of the mixer trough up the fluidized zone
above mixing elements, where mixing takes place
in a weightless state, which results in random
movement of particles in all directions. Typical
mixing time for these mixer types is up to 150
seconds for a dry mixing time (mixing without
liquid addition), and these mixers are capable of
achieving satisfactory homogeneity and homogenous
liquid distribution when liquid is sprayed. Also,
these mixers are having quick and complete discharge,
since they are typically equipped with “bomb door”
for the mixer bottom which is pneumatically
opened and closed.
20

mixer types are capable to

homogenously mix ingredients
differing in the physical
properties. One example
is how variation of mixing
parameters, such as ingredient
composition, mixing time and
filling degree is affecting CV
value of the external tracer
added in a concentration of
100 g per ton in the ribbon
mixer. It was shown that only
Figure 2. CV values for ribbon mixer – variation of ingredient composition, mixing time and filling after correction of ingredient
degree. c: corn; s: soybean meal; wb: wheat bran. composition, increasing the
mixing time and decreasing the
filling degree, CV value drops
below 10 percent.
Likewise, variation in mixing
time, filling degree and liquid
addition sequence can affect
CV value of external tracer
added in the mineral feed in
concentration of 10 g per ton
in the twin shaft paddle mixer
(Fig. 3). The target is to have
CV value below 5 percent
and not all combinations of
parameters lead to the target
Figure 3. CV values for twin shaft paddle mixer – variation mixing time, filling degree and liquid
homogeneity. If the mineral
addition sequence. feed with different physical
characteristics is used, it can
Mixing parameters be assumed that different results can observed.
Besides the mixer types, there are many other Aquafeed producers should assure that only quality
parameters which might affect mixing homogeneity, products are delivered to aquatic species and having
such as ingredients features like particle density, feed composition in line with the diet formulation is
particle shape, particle size distribution, flow properties, one of the main preconditions for that. In order to have
electrostatic charge, dustiness, etc.; mixing process desired product uniformity, producers should use the
features such as filling level, ingredients’ concentration, appropriate mixing equipment with optimal mixing
rotating speed, mixing time, etc.; environmental parameters for acceptable mixing homogeneity.
conditions such as temperature, relative humidity.
If the particles are similar in size, shape and density,
it would be easier to achieve homogeneity of the More information:
mixture. However, that is not the case in the practice. Radmilo Čolović
Senior Research Associate
For example, starch and protein sources have more
Institute of Food Technology,
cylindrical particle shapes than the fibrous ingredients, Serbia
which are more elongated. Also, mineral components E: radmilo.colovic@fins.uns.ac.rs
are denser than organic components. Not all of the

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019


Ask the Expert
Your aquafeed processing questions answered
Q: We have been attempting
to produce small diameter fish
feeds for hatchery and nursery, but
without success. We are not able
to keep the extruder running for
long and pellets are not uniform.
This is an issue I see regularly in
plants that are producing standard
feeds above 2 mm and then decide
to produce smaller feeds. There
are multiple process items at stake
here, the main one being mash
preparation. The key thing to
remember, being the rule of thumb,
is that all particles must be ground
to below one third of die diameter.
Die blockage is unforgiving in
extrusion processing as there is no
mechanical contact with the die
surface (unlike pellet milling). If a
particle is large enough to partially
block a die, this will interrupt flow
in that die, reducing the size of
pellet emerging from it. Eventually,
other particles will build up to
block the flow altogether. As this
process is occurring, the pressure
on the die is increasing, SME is
increasing and pellet density
starts to decrease. As the process
reaches a critical point where dies
are almost completely blocked,
the SME and shear forces can be
so extreme that a high proportion
of starches and proteins become
damaged, viscosity plummets and
density actually increase again, with
pellets appearing very ragged and
lacking uniformity. The smaller the
die sizes, the greater the potential
for blockage, with issues generally
increasing significantly below 2 mm
die size in a standard extrusion mill.
For example, during a production
run that lasts 30 minutes and is
eventually stopped due to die
blockage, the production is not
at a steady state and operators
will continually make adjustments
to account for changes in pellet
conformance. Pellet quality from
different parts of that run will be
highly variable. Due to the tendency
to compensate by increasing die
open area, there is potential for
pellets to be poorly cooked with
low SME at early stages of a run and
turn out highly destructed or burnt
at the end. These two points can
be equally damaging to fish health,
depending on species.
Die pressure is a useful way
of determining the pace of die
blockage with pressure increasing as
the dies block. I would recommend
installing a gauge, if you don’t
already have one in place, as
they are also a useful safety
mechanism when integrated into
PLC by signaling the bypass gate
to open should pressure exceed
the manufacturers recommended
operating limits. Excess die pressure
can result in catastrophic failure. I
have seen dies and heads come off
with explosive force on occasion
with potential for injury.
Increasing knife speed
continuously due to increasing
pellet length is another key indicator
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019
COLUMN
Peter Hutchinson is a Technical
Editor at Aquafeed.com, the owner
– director of ENH Ltd., New Zealand,
and an aquaculture feed consultant.
Send your questions to:
pete@aquafeed.com
of die blockage, as the same rate
of flow is forced to travel through a
lesser number of holes.
No doubt you have noticed at least
some of these issues described, so
how do you go about resolving the
problem without spending money?
You can’t! This problem won’t
self-resolve and requires some
expenditure.
Here is a list of items you will need
to work on:
Raw material sources are
important. Due to fine grind screens
and energy required, ingredients
that are difficult to grind or have
large amounts of fibrous material
are less suitable. Fibers which pass
grinding and sieving do not fly
through the die like an arrow, but
22
will catch on the die edge having
an end running into two die holes.
This process rapidly builds a bridge,
which will clog holes entirely.
High levels of hydroscopic powders
(such as hydrolysates) in the mash
should also be minimized, as
they will tend to clog mill screens
and sieves. These should be
included later in the process in
liquid form (i.e. into second mixer,
preconditioner or coated).
Fine grinding of raw materials is
crucial. Historically, this has been
done in two stages utilizing a
hammer mill as the first stage and
a pulveriser as the second stage.
Pulverisers work by a process of
attrition and do not have a screen
in the mill body. They require a
secondary cyclonic classifying unit
to separate larger particles which
escape the milling process and
return them for grinding.
The process of fine grinding
is energy intensive, although
improvements in mill design and
by-pass milling are making the
process more efficient. There are
also new hybrid pulveriser designs,
which mill and classify in one body
and are more energy efficient,
potentially doing away with the first
stage hammer mill, depending on
raw materials/formulation.
Sieving is the next vital process
step. Whatever sieve design is
utilized, it needs to be capable of
excluding all particles exceeding
one third of die diameter at a
rate capable of matching process
requirements. Placement of this
unit in the process chain is worth
considering in order to make the
most of eliminating die blockage.
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019
Contamination post-sieving will
occur if there is any mild steel
or process equipment prone to
shedding debris. This contamination
can be significant and render any
level of sieving virtually redundant.
Placement of the sieve directly
prior to the extrusion bin is
recommended, but with one major
caveat. If you are adding any liquids
in a second mixing stage, these will
most likely blind the sieve, so liquids
will need to be introduced post
sieve (or the sieve moved prior to
the second mixer).
Depending on the sieve position,
well-placed and effective magnetic
separation is a requirement not
only to catch rust and prevent
die blockage, but to protect
downstream equipment from
damage caused by larger items
such as nuts and bolts. The same
goes for scalpers in removing non-
ferrous items.
All liquid additions need to be
screened to the same one third of
die diameter as dry raw material.
Liquids can be a significant source
of die blocking contamination and
it is all too easy to forget about
the importance of screening
these. Liquid filters often removed
because staff feel they are blocking
too regularly. Ensure the filters
are sized appropriately to task and
arranged in parallel so that they
can be cleaned independently
during operation.
The hand add station needs to
be appropriately designed and
positioned. If the hand adds are
post grinding and sieving, these
will almost certainly be a source
of die blocking particles. If post
sieving, then hand adds will
require their own sieving unit.
In practice, it is invariably more
practical to have hand adds go
through the grinding process
with the rest of mash. If there
are concerns over losses of micro
ingredients during grinding, then
supplement the rates accordingly.
Don’t fall into the trap of only
using the fine grind equipment
when processing small diameter.
Once you have contaminated the
line with coarse ground mash for
larger pellet sizes, it will take a
considerable period for this to
work its way out of system.
Small diameter pellet production
favors twin screw extrusion.
Twin screw is capable of 3-5 times
the rate of single screw, with
much greater control over density
and uniformity. Although a twin
screw won’t resolve all the issues
described above, dies will block
just the same if the mash is not
appropriately ground!
The die open area needs to
increase progressively below 2 mm
due to increased surface area to
volume in the die creating increased
restriction flow. Floating feeds
below 1 mm become increasingly
challenging and will often require
an adjustment of formulation to
increase starch.
There are some aspects to
drying feed with small diameters
which create further dilemmas,
but that will need to wait for
another column. Good luck with
your further attempts at producing
small diameter feed and we look
forward to your feedback on
how you are progressing!

Figure 1. Calanus finmarchicus, the largest renewable resource in the Norwegian Sea.
A considerable resource of a tiny
crustacean - Calanus finmarchicus
Isak Bøgwald and Hogne Abrahamsen, Calanus AS
The marine zooplankter Calanus finmarchicus is the
largest renewable and harvestable resource in the
Norwegian Sea (Bergvik et al., 2012). It is a free-living
copepod with a life cycle of one year and is the key food
source for most of the commercially important fish
stocks in the North Atlantic. Due to a favorable size of
2-4 mm of the adult copepods, and a primary
composition of protein and lipids, C. finmarchicus is
the optimal natural starter feed for larvae of marine
fish and shrimp. C. finmarchicus spends most of its
life in deep ocean waters, but in the period between
April and August the copepods aggregate close to the
ocean surface (Häfker et al., 2018), and this is when
the harvesting takes place.
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019
MARINE OILS AND PROTEINS
The annual biomass production of C. finmarchicus
and closely related species in the Norwegian Sea and
adjacent oceans is in the range of 200-400 million
metric tons (Skjoldal, 2004), way above the total
biomass of all fish species in the same area (Fig. 2).
It is generally recognized that only between 10-15 %
of the energy is being incorporated as biomass when
moving upwards from one trophic level to the next in
the ecosystem (Lindeman, 1942); the rest is lost largely
through metabolic processes as heat. The largest
biomass is found at the base of the food pyramid and to
utilize resources such as zooplankton is thus ecologically
efficient and bioeconomically desirable, especially when
considering the uncertainty and present exploitation of
24

Figure 2. Estimated standing biomass and annual production of various marine species, compared to total global and Norwegian aquaculture
and fisheries (Skjoldal, 2004; FAO, 2018).

many of the global fisheries (FAO, 2018).

The Norwegian company Calanus AS has been working
on the utilization of this vast resource for the last 15
years and has developed a completely new industrial
value chain which includes the development of unique
harvesting technology, innovative production process,
brand-new product range, regulatory clearances,
documentation and commercialization of products
derived from C. finmarchicus. The company has the
advantage of being the first-mover in a market that is
being developed by investments from both industry
and governmental organizations in Norway.
Sustainable harvesting is a collaborative effort
The development of sustainable harvesting practices of
C. finmarchicus is a collaboration between the industry,
research institutes and authorities in Norway. In 2019,
the government opened commercial harvesting of
C. finmarchicus, with an initial quota of 254,000 metric
tons per year. This quota is 0.5 percent of the standing
biomass, a clear statement of the precaution taken to
secure sustainable harvesting practices considering
the standard precautionary quota is ten percent of a
standing biomass.
Calanus AS has developed proprietary technology for
the harvesting of C. finmarchicus in close collaboration
with fishing companies, engineering companies and
equipment suppliers. The technology includes a
patented and specialized harvesting technique for
Figure 3. Harvesting C. finmarchicus in the Norwegian Sea with the
patented Calanus® harvesting technology.
C. finmarchicus which, together with innovative onboard
handling techniques, ensures fresh raw material with
low bycatch rates. The company is certified for The
Global Standard for Responsible Supply (IFFO RS),
highlighting their commitment to responsible practices
in the areas of raw material procurement and food/
feed safety.
An innovative, effective and gentle
production process
Several years of research and development has
led Calanus AS to a manufacturing process for
C. finmarchicus whereby extraction of both oil and
proteins can be done in a highly effective and gentle
manner, keeping the natural bioactive properties of
the copepods intact. This knowledge has been adopted
and implemented in the industrial production process

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019


Figure 4. Calanus AS has developed an innovative production process,
free of solvents and additives.
of C. finmarchicus, which is free of solvents or additives,
and forms the basis for the products from Calanus
AS. The copepods have extremely low levels of
environmental pollutants due to their short life cycle
and rapid turnover rates, eliminating the need for
further processing of the products.
The company is currently building a new industrial
Figure 5. Calanus® Oil, Calanus® Powder and Calanus® Hydrolysate.
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019
25
production plant which will increase the future
production capacity up to 12-fold compared to the
present capability. It will be the world’s first full-scale
industrial plant for bio-refining of C. finmarchicus,
located near the Arctic Circle in the city of
Sortland, Norway.
Novel products with bioactive properties
The production process yields three products; Calanus®
Hydrolysate, Calanus® Powder and Calanus® Oil (Fig.
5). While the oil, with its unique wax ester omega-3
composition (Tande et al., 2016), is utilized almost
exclusively for human supplement applications, the two
other products are becoming attractive ingredients in
formulated feed for aquaculture. Calanus® Hydrolysate
is an enzymatically hydrolyzed liquid protein product,
heat stable and very soluble with a natural marine
flavor. The molecular weight distribution of the
hydrolysate reveals mostly small peptides, thus making
the product highly digestible which is especially
important for shrimp and juvenile fish with an
underdeveloped digestion system. Approximately 99%
of the peptides are < 6000 Da, covering the range of
most bioactive peptides consisting of 2-20 amino acids.
Bioactive peptides are known to influence appetite
regulation, growth and development, immunity and
survival, stress and behavior, as well as a wide range of
other metabolic pathways (Daliri & Lee, 2017; Möller et
al., 2008; Sanchez & Vazquez, 2017; Wang et al., 2016).
26
Figure 6. C. finmarchicus in the digestive system of L. vannamei at
PL-9, easily visible with its deep red color.
The favorable molecular weight distribution, together
with an optimal amino acid profile and flavor-enhancing
properties, make the product perfectly suited as an
ingredient in aquaculture feed for marine fish and
shrimp larvae.
Calanus® Powder is the solid component resulting
from the production process, mill-dried into a
homogenous dry meal and its main constituents are
hydrolyzed proteins and peptides, a lipid fraction
and chitin from the processed shells. Naturally, as it
is a product of the same process as the hydrolysate,
the proteins and peptides in the powder possess
a molecular weight distribution and amino acid
profile comparable to that of the hydrolysate. With
an abundance of essential amino acids for fish and
shellfish, the product contains high amounts of
methionine, lysine and arginine. These are generally the
first limiting amino acids of commercial shrimp formulae
(Fox et al., 2006). The lipid fraction is an important
source of energy and essential fatty acids such as
eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid
(DHA) are the most important fatty acids for growth in
shrimp (Glencross and Smith, 2001). Dietary chitin
has been shown to stimulate the innate immune
system of fish (Esteban et al., 2001) and shellfish
(Wang et al., 2005) and positively affect growth in
shrimp (Rodolfo et al. 2017). This can be explained
by a more effective molting process considering the
structural role of chitin in the shells. The powder also
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019
contains the powerful antioxidant astaxanthin for
increased growth and pigmentation (Ju et al., 2011;
Song et al., 2016), and minerals selenium and zinc
for increased growth and survival (Sritunyalucksana
et al., 2011).
In addition to the abovementioned feed ingredient
products, whole animals of C. finmarchicus are suitable
as complete feed in aquaculture. C. finmarchicus is a
rather large copepod and its size and composition make
it perfect for shrimp post-larvae (PL) and fish larvae
and juveniles. Initial feeding trials with L. vannamei
show that C. finmarchicus is an accepted and highly
attractive feed (Fig. 6). The trials found the copepods
were optimal as feed from PL-4 (consuming 90% of
the copepods at this stage) and onwards, where it can
function as a replacement for Artemia until the shrimp
is ready for formulated feed. The shrimp feeding on
C. finmarchicus were also larger in size compared to
the control with Artemia. Further ongoing trials aim to
optimize the protocols in regard to volume and starting
point, possibly using C. finmarchicus in complement
with Artemia in stages PL-1 to PL-3.
The company is currently involved in multiple
feeding trials, testing both whole animals of
C. finmarchicus and its products as feed ingredients
while aiming to demonstrate the advantages of
using nature’s own starter feed in the aquaculture
of marine fish and shrimp.
References available on request.
More information:
Isak Bøgwald
Researcher Animal Health
& Nutrition
Calanus AS, Norway
E: isak.bogwald@calanus.no
Hogne Abrahamsen
Head of Sales and Marketing
Animal Health & Nutrition
Calanus AS, Norway
E: hogne.abrahamsen@calanus.no

Marine ingredients
in aquaculture feeds
Sara Magalhães, Sorgal
It is widely known that the incorporation of marine-
based ingredients into the diets of farmed fish and
shrimp increases feed efficiency and promotes fish
growth performance due to an ideal nutritional profile
(and therefore enhanced nutrient digestibility) and
better feed palatability. It also produces a more natural,
“fish-like” taste to the final product approaching
farmed fish to the wild specimens.
Fishmeal (FM) and fish oil (FO) are quintessential
marine ingredients in aquafeeds and the most widely
used in both freshwater and marine species. They
supply, among others, the essential amino acids and
fatty acids (FA) required by fish for the best health
and growth performance reflecting in the wild diet
of these animals.
An essential nutrient is one that is not synthesized
within the animal body (or at a sufficient rate to
meet the physiological requirements of the animal);
therefore, their supply is mandatory in the diet. The
biggest issue related to the use of FM and FO is that
about 65-75% of these ingredients are produced from
the harvest of small pelagic fish (anchovies, herring,
menhaden, sardines, among others) mainly in South
America. The other 25-35% come from the co-products
produced after fish processing for human consumption
(SEAFISH, 2018). Therefore, this situation categorizes
FM and FO as non-environmentally sustainable
ingredients and inputs to fish production a high carbon
footprint and fish in–fish out (FIFO) ratio. In fact, FM
and FO that have been produced from reduction
fisheries have an environmental cost linked to natural
resources exploitation, transformation processing
and transporting ingredients.
Given this, research performed over the last years
has been devoted to finding more sustainable and
affordable non-marine ingredients that can be included
in fish feeds. Meals and fats/oils from terrestrial
animals, as well as vegetable ingredients, have been
under evaluation as protein and lipid sources in the
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019
MARINE OILS AND PROTEINS
diets of several species (Glencross et al., 2007; Caruso,
2015; Henry et al., 2015; Campos et al., 2017, 2018a,b,
2019; Monteiro et al., 2017; Reis et al., 2019). The total
or partial replacement of marine-based ingredients by
such alternative raw materials is possible, provided the
essential nutrients are present in the feed in sufficient
quantities to meet fish daily requirements, in order to
achieve good growth, overall health and fillet quality.
While sustainability is a major topic when discussing
ingredients (alternative, locally available) and overall fish
production, the final consumer increasingly searches
in the fishmonger for fish presenting features close
to those of a wild fish, mainly related to flavor, visual
aspect (color, freshness, brightness) and n-3 FA content
(EPA and DHA). This brings us again to the pertinence of
marine ingredients in the diet of cultured fish. Besides
FM and FO, whose inclusion levels in fish feeds have
been declining worldwide over the years (FAO, 2018),
other marine ingredients (meals, hydrolysates and oils)
are worth noting. These protein and lipid sources are
usually included at quite lower levels than FM and FO
and can be used for different purposes rather than
nutrition itself. Table 1 summarizes the characteristics
of the main marine ingredients with potential use in
fish feed formulations.
AQUASOJA’s approach
Since 1993, AQUASOJA, a brand within SORGAL (a
company belonging to SOJA DE PORTUGAL Group),
has focused on the development, production and
marketing of integrated feed solutions for aquaculture
species. As above mentioned, reduction fisheries
directed towards the production of FM and FO are not
sustainable in the long term. SAVINOR UTS (another
company belonging to SOJA DE PORTUGAL Group),
located close to the Portuguese Atlantic Coast, produces
high quality, fully traceable ingredients, that are mainly
derived from local canning industry by-products and
local harbor whole fish (tuna, sardine, mackerel) and
28

Table 1. Brief characterization of the main marine ingredients with potential use in fish feed formulations.

are included in AQUASOJA recipes. This synergy allows In addition to FM and FO, a considerable part in every
AQUASOJA a regular supply of FM and FO, enabling feed, AQUASOJA also includes in its recipes other
formula stability in terms of quality and price. It also marine ingredients, such as fish and crustacean meals
provides a better control on quality, freshness and and hydrolysates, with the purpose of enhancing feed
traceability of these raw materials while increasing the palatability and adding functionality to both functional
sustainability of the fish feed production (ensuring a low and conventional feeds.
FIFO ratio). SAVINOR UTS collects, treats and valorizes References available on request.
100% wild-caught fish. Fishmeal used in AQUASOJA feed
is therefore of high quality, presenting easily digestible
proteins and main vitamins and minerals. Moreover, FO
and FM produced in SAVINOR UTS are excellent sources More information:
MAX.
393.31

Sara Magalhães
[9990]

of healthy n-3 FA such as EPA and DHA. The valorization 391.31

MAX.
31.19
Technical Manager,
[9939] [792]
of marine co-products for inclusion in farmed fish feed
MIN.
15.00 Ă12.00 MIN.
[381] [305] AQUASOJA Sorgal, Portugal 29.19
[741]
reflects AQUASOJA’s economic and environmentally 36.91 E: sara.magalhaes@
F085 SHIMPO

sustainable practices and illustrates SOJA DE PORTUGAL 67.28

[937]
sojadeportugal.pt
[1709]
Group’s commitment to a circular economy. 39.00 30.00
[991] [762]
30.38 101.44 108.59 64.83 19.16
[772] [2577] [2759] [1647] [487]

ALL FROM A SINGLE SYSTEM

BIN DCC CYL. End of
P.O. Box 8 Inlet Inlet Head
15.00
Disch.
100 Airport Road [381]
Sabetha, KS 66534, USA
Phone: 785-284-2153 With Extru-Tech’s ADT (Advanced Densification Technology), the possibilities are
Fax: 785-284-3143
far reaching. ADT technology gives you the option to produce sinking feeds with
excellent consistency and density. That same ADT technology can produce floating
feeds with high protein characteristics … all from a single extrusion system.
FROM SINKING TO FLOATING In the aquafeed business, you either sink [6855]
or swim.
269.88
284.00
Contact Extru-Tech today at 785-284-2153 or visit us [7214]
online at www.extru-techinc.com
278.03
[7062]
1.93 [49]
199.38
[5064]
18.00 [457]
1.00
extru-techinc@extru-techinc.com P.O.
NPT Box 8 • 100 Airport Road • Sabetha, KS 66534, USA
12.56 [319]
www.extru-techinc.com Phone: 785-284-2153 • Fax: 785-284-3143 15.88 [404]
256T
54

06
03
51

0
24.59 [625]
1.00 NPT [STEAM]
108.28 2.00 NPT [WATER]
[2750] 3/4 NPT 2.00 NPT [STEAM]
2.00 NPT

ET-296i.indd 1 12/13/18 12:00 PM

80

NORGREN

0 160

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57.69
SIZE 10

[2236] 66.50
[1465]
2

[1689]
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019 48.00
[1219]
53.25
[1353]

52.19
[1325]
102.13 [2594]
111.12 [2822]

Krill performance for all
Tibiabin Benitez-Santana, Aker BioMarine AS
Sports performance is exactly what it sounds like. It is
training designed specifically to improve an individual’s
performance within their sport, including any bodily
activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and
overall health and wellness. This means that endurance
exercise adheres strictly to the principle of specificity:
the body will adapt in direct relation to the stressors
placed on it. So, move, eat, rest, repeat makes for a
decent training plan, up to a point. However, if you
want to maximize your performance gains, eventually
you need to train smarter: smarter movement, smarter
eating and smarter recovery. Believe it or not, this
advice works not only for aspiring athletes but also for
man’s best friend – the dog and farmed aquatic animals
(fish and shrimp) alike.
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019
29
Smart training with krill
Athletes use nutritional strategies to improve
their training and performance through increasing
their metabolic capacity, delaying the onset of fatigue,
and improving muscle hypertrophy by enhancing
recovery, improving immune function, and decreasing
oxidative stress.
Krill oil is rich in long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated
fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and
docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which have been
found to reduce inflammation and have positive
effects on the cardiovascular system. A recent study
indicates that krill oil may support immune function
in young adults after heavy exercise. Aker BioMarine
is dedicated to studying the effects of krill on humans,
30
pets and farmed fish and shrimp. Several human clinical
trials have shown that krill oil supplementation leads
to an increase of omega-3 index. Maintaining optimal
omega-3 levels may be important during the recovery
phase after intense exercise. It is important to keep in
mind that lower omega-3 levels have been associated
with increased risk of illness, which may cause training
disruptions. For this reason, it is important to have a
good source of omega-3 fatty acids, such as krill oil,
when engaging in intense training.
You might wonder how professional athletes are
related to animal performance. Well, we all want to
perform: athletes, sled dogs and even salmon. The
connections are actually more related than what you
might think, as nutrition plays an important role for
all of us. Aker BioMarine has identified four positive
krill effects across these species when it comes to
performance: inflammatory response, heart health,
well-being and muscular system.
Keeping dogs up and running
Sled dogs for example, have a high metabolic energy
expenditure during endurance exercise, and it has been
shown that repetitive endurance exercise is associated
with lipid peroxidation and reduced plasma antioxidant
concentration. Excessive free radial production
induced by an extreme exercise challenge, such as
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019
the Iditarod sled dog race, can induce inflammation
and generate muscle damage. In order to increase our
krill knowledge on dogs, Aker BioMarine conducted a
study on the animals in the Iditarod trail sled dog race,
the hands-down toughest annual long-distance sled
dog run. In this project, we found that five-week krill
meal supplementation of sled dogs before the race
led to higher amounts of omega-3 polyunsaturated
fatty acids consumed, and therefore a higher omega-
3 index at start of race. A higher index is associated
with a significant reduction in the exercise-associated
rise in inflammation and a tendency to minimize the
level of muscle damage. This is linked to the human
results, where krill plays an important role keeping the
omega-3 levels up during endurance performance.
The results of this study are encouraging for krill meal
supplementation for dogs in general, whether they
are performing in long distance races or taking their
leisurely afternoon walk.
Improved swimming performance,
better fillet quality
But what about salmon? The physical, nutritional and
sensory properties of salmon meet at the point of
human consumption and are influenced by the dietary
raw materials. It is therefore important to monitor and
understand the effects on fillet quality when novel

feed ingredients such as krill meal are introduced. Thus,
improved knowledge on the effect of alternative feed
resources is required during the finishing period before
harvesting when the impact on salmon flesh quality
properties is most significant. During the past decade,
the effect of krill on salmonids health and fillet quality
has been investigated. Fat content, fat distribution and
fillet quality are the major quality criteria that dictate
the market value of salmon fillets, which may all be
influenced by feed composition. Due to krill inherent
advantages i.e. feeding stimulants, omega-3 fatty acids
bound to phospholipids and highly digestible peptides,
there is an improvement in firmness and integrity (less
gaping) by krill meal-supplemented salmon finishing
diets, showing a significant correlation with a range
of biochemical and molecular factors, supporting that
salmon fillet integrity is multifactorial with complex
biological interactions.
What is curious about fish is their swimming exercise,
in other words, their performance, which increases the
muscle growth and flesh quality. Fish are known for
their great capacity for aerobic, sustained swimming,
and anaerobic, burst swimming. Swimming activity
in fish is accomplished through the activation of
the skeletal muscle, the largest tissue in the animal,
representing more than 50 percent of its body weight.
Skeletal muscle in fish is composed of two functionally
and anatomically separated types of muscle.
Flesh quality in salmon is the result of a combination
of characteristics of skeletal muscle, which include the
muscle chemical composition (fat content and fatty acid
profile, glycogen stores, oxidative stability, color) and
muscle cellularity and is strongly influenced by a variety
of extrinsic factors such as feeding, pre- and post-
slaughter handling, processing, and storage procedures.
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019
31
Since salmon farming is the production of high-quality
food, it is vital that the fillet quality is in accordance
with consumers’ expectations. Visual appearance is
the most important property of foods in determining
their selection to actual consumption. Salmon with
insufficient firmness are downgraded, leading to
severe economic losses to the farming and processing
industries. One of the major criteria of flesh quality
is texture, which is determined by muscle cellularity
(fiber number and distribution) and connective tissue
characteristics, where collagen is a major determinant
of salmon fillet quality. Different studies have shown
an improvement in gaping and fillet firmness and a
decrease of melanin spots in salmon fed krill diets,
which are key requirements for the salmon industry.
These results relate to humans and dogs, where the
omega-3 phospholipids of krill play an important role
in reducing muscle inflammation.
In short, there is scientific evidence on the benefits
of krill across the three species when it comes to
performance. Humans, dogs and salmon performance
can benefit from krill, with their daily feats of biking,
running and swimming endurance increasing.
The results are related, and we need to start looking
at the evidence and find ways to share it.
More information:
Tibiabin Benitez-Santana
Director R&D, Fish Nutrition
Aker BioMarine AS, Norway
E: tibiabin.benitez-santana
@akerbiomarine.com
COLUMN
Trends and
developments
C. Greg Lutz, Ph.D.
Aquaculture intelligence… the new A.I.
I often find myself bouncing around
the internet when I’m supposed to
be ‘working.’ But, in a way, I really
am working because I stumble on
many aspects of modern life that
relate to aquaculture in one way
or another.
The pace of technological
innovation seems to accelerate
almost daily, and ‘technology’ (one
of those catch-all terms, kind of like
‘scientists’) is advancing in too many
areas for any of us to keep track
of. Many times, these advances
seem far removed from day-to-
day life on a fish farm. To date,
technology hasn’t really impacted
things like harvesting, loading out
hauling trucks or workboats, or
collecting, recording and disposing
of mortalities. Nor has it eliminated
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019
the need to check the
oil and radiator fluid in
tractors or generators.
Nonetheless, technology
is increasingly offering us
new ways to approach
aquaculture production.
In the late 1980’s, my
friend Walter Landry
told me that we would
never be able to raise
fish profitably with
automated systems,
because “someone
needs to be with them and
observe them day in and day out.”
Walter served as president of the
Striped Bass Growers Association
and the Louisiana Aquaculture
Association, and also served on the
board of the National Aquaculture
Association, so as a young extension
specialist I took his opinion more
or less as gospel.
Three decades back, when
someone brought up the topic
of artificial intelligence (AI) in
aquaculture, more often than
not they were referring to simple
monitoring and control apparatuses,
like an oxygen sensor that sent a
continuous signal to a computer,
that in turn would open an oxygen
bottle solenoid valve or turn on
an aerator if DO values dropped
Dr. Greg Lutz is a Professor
with Louisiana State University
Agricultural Center. He is also an
author and consultant, and
serves as the Editor in Chief of
Aquaculture Magazine.
E: lutzaqua@att.net
below some pre-set level of
concern. This type of ‘innovation’
fit in well with the traditional
production process and reduced
the potential for human error (um…
err… or, at times, simply substituted
that risk with the potential for
technological/mechanical error).
Systems were soon developed that
deployed any number of sensors
that could be connected (by wires
and state-of-the-art interfaces) to
a computer, allowing a manager
to monitor water quality and
equipment performance from
multiple systems in real time.
With their bundles of wires
reminiscent of sticky spaghetti,
these packages were impressive
to look at and fun to show off to
visitors (especially when purchased
with someone else’s money), but
they were still just data … just
numbers and on/off signals.
The emergence of the internet

allowed personnel to view real-
time facility data from far away
locations, but this was not much
of an improvement (especially
if you had to get up at 3 am
and drive for an hour to try to
respond to an equipment failure).
Tedious data entry, manipulation
and interpretation was still
required to turn the numbers
generated by these monitoring
systems into management tools
for evaluation, troubleshooting
and planning purposes.
But all the while, AI was evolving
as it were. If you could pull together
and package the mountains of data
related to feeding rates, mortality
patterns, water quality, growth
rates, and equipment performance,
programs that could gobble up
the numbers and spit out
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019
33
enlightened conclusions were
beginning to be available. This level
of interpretation was perhaps not
yet a practical tool, but all that
would soon change… with the
dawn of the Internet of Things
(cue dramatic music…).
Yes, IoT. The Internet of Things. I
still don’t really grasp it, but I guess
my understanding of IoT involves
someone asking Alexa to
turn on the coffee maker. …
I guess. I ignored the whole
concept (as much by ignorance
as by choice) for as long as I could,
but in addition to changing so
many aspects of our modern
life – IoT has opened up a whole
new frontier of production (and
business strategy) management for
all sorts of manufacturing, including
aquaculture. Look up the term
“Industry 4.0” sometime.
The capacity for modern sensors
and monitors to communicate
through wifi and internet channels
has reshaped the potential
architecture for ‘command and
control’ in aquaculture operations.
And more importantly, the
computational resources required
for interpretation, decision-making
and long-term planning can now be
fed a continual diet of all types of
data, allowing subtle relationships
between management factors and
production strategy trade-offs to be
clearly understood.
As advances in AI continue, many
aquaculture production systems
really will be able to operate with
minimal human supervision. I’m not
sure whether Walter would be sold
on the idea that a computer could
understand our fish better than we
can, but we’ll see how it all works
out in the coming years.
34
Rewarding responsible
production and sourcing:
ASC’s new Feed Standard
Michiel Fransen, ASC
As you read this, ASC is finalizing the new ASC Feed
Standard, a project that is hugely important for the
industry and a standard we think will encourage and
reward farms and feed producers who work towards
more responsible aquaculture feed.
The production of feed’s raw material can have a long
and complex supply chain, and can include social and
environmental issues throughout the process. These
can include habitat loss, over-harvesting, biodiversity
impacts, pollution, poor labor conditions, human rights
abuses and lack of community consultation, among
others. Many of these issues are already addressed by
requirements in ASC’s individual species standards, but
ASC believes that aquafeed is an area that requires a
comprehensive separate standard that can give all of
these issues the attention they deserve.
Readers of Aquafeed.com will know, better than most,
the trends in feed production that are shifting towards a
decreasing proportion of marine ingredients in feed over
time. But the replacement ingredients aren’t just the
headline-grabbing insect-derived proteins – they include
a growing proportion of land-based plant ingredients.
As the diversity of ingredients increases, so too do
the challenges of ensuring they are also responsibly
produced and sourced – all while awareness of the
importance of responsible sourcing spreads among
farmers, retailers, as well as consumers. ASC recognizes
the opportunity here to help meet the growing demand
for more sustainable feed and to satisfy the need to
show how an increasingly complex industry and supply
chain can be organized in a manner that will have
multiple benefits, both in and out of the water.
The ASC Feed Standard will help feed producers
and farmers not only work towards more responsibly
sourced feed, but also to be able to easily demonstrate
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019
this commitment to their customers and stakeholders.
In other words, we aim to bring the benefits of ASC
certification currently enjoyed by farms to feed mills
as well.
Standard development
It might be helpful to start with some information on
how the upcoming standard was developed, because
organizations that embrace and work towards the
requirements in the standard deserve an assurance
that they were developed carefully, collaboratively
and using the best science.
Proper governance is an integral aspect of the ASC
program. At multiple points during the development
process the Feed Standard steering committee, a
multi-stakeholder group whose members include
representatives from the feed mill industry, feed
ingredient industry, farm industry, NGOs and retail,
provided essential additional expertise and guidance.
This year saw the successful final meeting of the
Standard’s steering committee and the standard is now
ready for final approval.
The Standard is now awaiting final sign-off from
the ASC supervisory board and technical advisory
committee. While these two bodies have oversight
of all ASC standards, a lot of work from ASC staff and
stakeholders goes into developing each standard. As with
all our standards, the Feed Standard was widely shared
on our website for public consultation. After reviewing

the input we received from stakeholders, it was revised
based on the responses, and then published for public
consultation for a second time. Following that second
round of consultation, the standard underwent through
further revision.
Crop-derived ingredients
One important area of the new standard is the
increased focus on crop-derived ingredients.
The sustainability discussion of feed ingredients has
traditionally focused on marine ingredients, and
although there are environmental and social concerns
there that need to be addressed, aquafeed is composed
of far more than what we take from the seas. The
diversity and scale of environmental and social impacts
related to crop-derived ingredients are at least equal
to marine ingredients, and in some cases even more
significant. The ASC Feed Standard will be the first in
the industry to recognize this and will include specific
requirements on crop-derived ingredients – including
soy, wheat, corn, rice, and canola.
We look forward to publishing the detailed content
of the Standard once it has been formally approved by
the ASC supervisory board, and it will address a number
of initial priorities related to crop-derived ingredients:
transparency on origin and requirements to source
from production areas that are at low-risk of illegal
deforestation. It will also require feed mills to work
towards deforestation-free supply chains over time.
Marine ingredients
This doesn’t mean ASC has forgotten about the
importance of responsibly sourcing marine ingredients
– this is a critical issue for the aquaculture industry
to address and the new ASC Feed Standard provides
a framework for feed mills to do just that, make
improvements where necessary, and demonstrate
their responsibility to the wider industry. The ASC
Feed Standard addresses marine ingredients through
a global improvement model that requires feed mills
to source marine ingredients from fisheries
demonstrating increasing levels of sustainability
and eventually MSC certification.
There are many impacts that are relevant to all feed,
whether from land or sea. The Feed Standard includes
requirements on these issues that have become
increasingly important to consumers, retailers, NGOs,
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019
35
and many other concerned stakeholders. These issues
include GMOs, greenhouse gas emissions and water
usage, to name a few.
Feed mills certification
The principles, criteria and indicators of the Feed
Standard will be verified at the feed mill level. Feed mills
will be able to apply for certification against the Feed
Standard, and ASC certified farms will need to source
feed from mills which are certified against the Feed
Standard. Mills will need to have a Responsible Sourcing
Policy to demonstrate policies and management
processes are in place relating to sourcing of all types
of ingredients that represent more than one percent
of total ingredients by weight. This must also include a
commitment to continuous improvement in relation to
the sustainability levels of the primary sources of the
ingredients used for the manufacturing of all feed.
The development of the ASC Feed Standard has been
a long and thorough process because this is an area of
great importance to ASC’s overall mission to improve
standards in aquaculture. As well as the consultations
mentioned above, pilot assessments against the
Standard have taken place and these will inform
guidance documents for feed mills and producers. In
addition, the Standard has been informed by a number
of white papers – with documents covering science
and findings regarding plant, marine, animal, and micro
ingredients. All of these white papers and more can be
found on the ASC website.
As with all ASC standards, the aim with feed is to
work with the industry, rewarding those producers
and feed mills that are taking responsible production
and sourcing seriously – and helping those that want
to make improvements. Aquafeed has always been
vital to the aquaculture industry. The new ASC Feed
Standard recognizes that it will also be vital to ensuring
the industry continues to grow in environmentally and
socially responsible ways.
More information:
Michiel Fransen
Head of Standards & Science
ASC
E: michiel.fransen@asc-aqua.org
 37

Hydroxy-selenomethionine
reduces the effects of stress in fish
Waldo G. Nuez-Ortin, Michele de Marco, Aurélie Moal, ADISSEO

Currently, aquaculture production applies conditions
that are sub-optimal to the physiological condition
of the species. High-stocking densities, poor water
quality or fluctuations in water temperature lead to an
excessive production of prooxidant molecules that can
surpass the capacity of the antioxidant mechanisms
of the animal. Furthermore, genetic selection aims for
growth at the maximum rates which diverts resources
away from self-maintenance processes such as
antioxidant protection and is associated with excessive
prooxidants production. Therefore, maintaining balance
in the animal’s antioxidant system must be a priority
for nutritionists.
Selenium plays a very important role in antioxidant
defence, with the organic forms being the most
effective. Recently published trials have shown that
providing organic selenium in the form of hydroxy-
selenomethionine (OH-SeMet) to fish increased
selenium deposition in tissues and transfer of
selenoproteins to progeny. This translates into improved
antioxidant capacity and ability to cope with stress.
It was also found that supplementation with OH-
SeMet reduces lipid peroxidation in muscle, potentially
increasing shelf life of fillet. Researchers concluded that
supplying selenium as OH-SeMet was advantageous
in ensuring optimal performance and quality traits.

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019

38

stress, if the antioxidant

system is not sufficiently
developed, performance
and health will be
negatively affected.

The benefits of OH-SeMet -

form is everything
Selisseo® (Adisseo France
SAS) contains 100% selenium
in the form of hydroxy-
selenomethionine (OH-SeMet)
– a pure and highly available
form of organic selenium.
As a compound that has
been created by chemical
synthesis, its consistency
and reliability are assured.
The product can withstand
the high temperatures and
pressures associated with
the extrusion processes
for aquafeed production.
Figure 1. A) Selenium deposition and MDA levels in muscle. Supplemented selenium in ppm.
B) Relative gene expression of GPx in liver. OH-SeMet has been shown
to be highly effective at
What is oxidative stress? increasing selenium deposition
At the cellular level, stress increases cellular respiration in tissues, building a reserve of selenium that helps the
and production of prooxidants, the so-called reactive aqua species to better cope with stressful conditions
oxygen species (ROS). This may lead to excessive that increase the antioxidant requirements.
ROS production and an imbalance between prooxidants
and antioxidants that result in damaged cell structures. OH-SeMet enhances protection
Oxidative damage constrains the immune response from oxidative stress in muscle
and negatively impacts animal performance and A trial carried out at the University of Las Palmas
fillet quality. (ECOAQUA-IU, Spain) (Marwa et al., 2019) evaluated
the effect of different selenium sources and levels on
Selenium - a key player in antioxidant defence gilthead sea bream. The peer-reviewed manuscript
Selenium is present in protein rich tissues as showed increased selenium deposition with increasing
selenomethionine (SeMet) substituting methionine, dietary levels. At 0.5 ppm supplementation, deposition
or as selenocysteine (SeCys) as a key part of was 80% higher for OH-SeMet than for sodium selenite
selenoproteins. About half of these SeCys containing (Fig. 1A), indicating enhanced protection against
proteins are antioxidant enzymes that detoxify oxidative stress in fish muscle.
ROS, with two of them being glutathione peroxidase Lipid peroxidation can be measured by the
(GPx) and thioredoxin reductases. Supplementing concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA).
aquafeed with an optimal level and source of selenium Any reduction of lipid peroxidation in muscle
largely contributes to the activity of these antioxidant potentially improves the shelf life and quality of fish
enzymes and maintenance of the redox balance. fillets. In this study, a negative correlation between
Under production conditions that induce oxidative muscle selenium content and lipid peroxidation

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019

 39

Enhanced selenium deposition was also observed

in the progeny, oocytes and swim-up fry (Fig. 2A), and
this translated into enhanced expression of GPx genes
and GPx enzyme activity (Fig. 2B). It was concluded that
the parental transfer of selenium was more efficient
in the form of OH-SeMet, and indicated an enhanced
antioxidant capacity of the progeny to respond to
stressful events during early life stages.

Ensured performance under challenging conditions

These new peer-reviewed studies add scientific weight
to the benefits of selenium supplemented in the form
of OH-SeMet. A clear improvement in muscle selenium
deposition and consequently in GPx antioxidant
activity has been demonstrated. Improved antioxidant
capacity translates into reduced lipid peroxidation
and potentially into extended shelf life of fish fillets,
Figure 2. A) Total selenium in oocytes and swim up fry. improved reproductive performance, and overall into
B) Enzyme activity of total GPx in swim-up fry.
better ability to deal with stressful conditions such as
(R2=0.781) was found, with OH-SeMet leading to a those derived current production conditions.
significant reduction of MDA in muscle (Fig. 1A)
and in liver.
References:
The expression of antioxidant enzymes such as
Wischhusen et al., 2019. Aquaculture 507, 126-138
glutathione peroxidase was also evaluated. Increasing Marwa et al., 2019. Aquaculture 507, 251-259
OH-SeMet supplementation resulted in higher
up-regulation as compared with sodium selenite
(Fig. 1B). This further corroborates the enhanced
More information:
antioxidant protection in juveniles against stress.
Waldo G. Nues-Ortin
Lead Scientist Aquaculture
OH-SeMet improves the reproductive ADISSEO, Belgium
performance and antioxidant status of the progeny E: waldo.nuezortin@adisseo.com
The effect of dietary selenium on reproductive
performance, selenium transfer and antioxidant
status, was studied in rainbow trout at INRA (France)
(Wischhusen et al., 2019). Over a six-month period prior Michele de Marco
to spawning, broodstocks were fed one Global Scientific & Technical
Manager Selisseo®
of three diets containing a basal level of selenium ADISSEO, Belgium
(0.3 ppm), or a supplemented level of 0.3 ppm either E: michele.demarco@adisseo.com
as OH-SeMet or sodium selenite.
Results showed significantly higher number of
spawnings in broodstock supplemented with OH-SeMet
along with a high survival of progeny from fertilization Aurélie Moal
to swim-up fry. Enhanced deposition of selenium in Global Marketing Manager
muscle and liver was found in females supplemented Health By Nutrition
with OH-SeMet, thus reinforcing the antioxidant ADISSEO, Belgium
E: aurelie.moal@adisseo.com
defence mechanisms to better cope with the stress
associated to spawning.

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019

COLUMN
Investigate formimino-glutamate
(FIGLU) as a potential metabolic
marker of nutritional stress
Fabio Casu, Aaron Watson, Justin Yost, T. Gibson Gaylord, Daniel W. Bearden, Michael R. Denson
The Soy Aquaculture Alliance provides the latest results of their broad research on the
utilization of U.S. soybeans in the diets of fish and shrimp.
The purpose of this study is to
determine if the metabolite
formimino-glutamate (FIGLU) is
a marker of nutritional stress in
fish diets. The overall goal is to
improve the metabolic fingerprint
of juvenile red drum based on
comparison with the two best
performing reference diets.
Study design
A 12-week feeding trial on
young red drum was conducted
to investigate FIGLU as a potential
metabolic marker of nutritional
stress in fish fed diets of 60%
or more soybean meal (SBM) as
the protein source in fishmeal-
free feeds.
Prior to the 12-week trial, a 7-week
“pre-trial” was held in which fish
were fed a complete fishmeal
control diet. Each fish, averaging
61.3 grams, was sorted into 24
experimental aquaculture system
tanks with a temperature of 25° C
at the Hollings Marine Laboratory
in Charleston, SC. Each of the 24
tanks had 25 fish.
During the course of the 12-week
study, a total of eight different diets
were evaluated:
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019
1. Fishmeal control
2. S upplemented soybean meal
(contain 2x methionine, but
also supplemented with lysine,
threonine and 0.5% (w/w) taurine
3. Unsupplemented soybean meal
4. Folate, 5x general folate
requirements
5. Methionine, 2x general
methionine requirements
6. Vitamin B12, 5x general
vitamin B12 requirements
7. 5x B12, 5x folate &
2x methionine combination
8. Natural reference diet
(cut squid, shrimp, fish)
Throughout the 12-week study,
liver, intestine, heart and muscle
tissue samples were taken, as well
as plasma. Samples were collected
pre-trial, at week zero, week six
and at week twelve. While several
tissues were sampled, nuclear
magnetic resonance (NMR)-based
metabolomic analysis focused on
the liver tissue samples.
Results
Over the course of a 12-week feed
trial, experimental 60% SBM diets
performed as well as, or better than,
a fishmeal control diet. All diets feed
conversion ratios were 1.0 or below,
proving that all the diets performed
well. No significant differences were
detected in performance recorded
among the soy-based diets, despite
supplementation (Table 1).
The natural reference diet
outperformed all experimental
feeds. FIGLU was not detected by
NMR in fish fed the natural diet
but it was detected in all soy-based
diets and in the liver of fish fed
the fishmeal-based experimental
diet which contacted 41% wheat
flour. FIGLU is not only a marker of
soybean meal consumption, but
appears in other diets as well.
Next steps
Overall, over the course of the
12-weeks, lower FIGLU levels
were found in the vest performing
diets (natural diet and 60% SBM
diet 2), supporting the hypothesis
that higher FIGLU levels indicate a
nutritional deficiency. If proposed
supplementations prove to
significantly reduce FIGLU levels to
improve the metabolic fingerprint,
new supplementation protocols can
be developed and adopted by fish
nutritionists to produce alternative
 41

feeds. It would be interesting to
investigate this biomarker in
other fish species to determine
its general applicability.
Key takeaways
Fish fed supplemented soybean
meal diets of 60% had nearly the
same growth, weight and feed
conversion of fish fed natural
reference (squid, shrimp and fish)
diets. Assessing this biological
marker will allow nutritionists to
develop feed alternatives within
acceptable limits for fish species
without causing nutritional stress.
Reference
NMR Metabolomics Investigation
of FIGLU as a Biomarker of
Nutritional Stress in Red Drum
(Sciaenops ocellatus) Fed Soy-
Based Diets, South Carolina
Department of Natural Resources,
Dr. Fabio Casu, Dr. Aaron Watson,
Justin Yost,Dr. T. Gibson Gaylord
(USFWS), Dr. Daniel W. Bearden
(NIST ret.) and Dr. Michael R.
Denson. Full research brief and
technical bulletin on file at
www.soyaquaalliance.com.
Research funded with
soybean checkoff dollars.

The Soy Aquaculture Alliance (SAA) works to create new opportunities for soybean farmers within
a growing domestic market: aquaculture. SAA funds programs and research that increases the More information:
utilization of U.S. soybeans in the diets of fish and shrimp through affiliations with academic and Andy Tauer
private researchers and industry leaders. SAA is governed by a volunteer board representing U.S. Executive Director
soybean farmers and industry members. Membership is open to Qualified State Soybean Boards Soy Aquaculture Alliance, USA
and public and private entities in the soy, aquaculture and seafood industries. To learn more about E: atauer@soyaquaalliance.com
SAA-funded research projects or becoming a member, visit www.soyaquaalliance.com.

Moving beyond feed

In 2020 Hatcheryfeed relaunches as
HATCHERY Feed & Management

Why What
To provide high quality editorial and truly Systems, feeders, genetics, eggs, feed and
international coverage worthy of the nutrition, health and hygiene ... and
professional aquaculture hatchery value more. All the topics important to
chain. hatchery managers and buyers.

Contact: editor@hatcheryfeed.com

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019

42
EURASTiP, bridging the gap between
Europe and Southeast Asia
Lucía Barreiro
The European Union Vietnam Free Trade Agreement
(EVFTA) was signed on June 30 in Hanoi, paving the way
for its conclusion and increased trade with the EU and
Vietnam. The EVFTA is an ambitious pact eliminating
almost 99 percent of custom duties between the EU
and Vietnam. Thanks to the agreement, 71 percent of
duties will be eliminated on Vietnam exports to the EU,
including aquaculture products and a 20 percent more
is expected in exports in 2020.
In the frame of the new EVFTA, a “honey moon”
period for aquaculture in Vietnam is expected as
Mathieu Penot, EU delegation to Vietnam, stated at
the EURASTiP Brokerage event that was held in Ho
Chi Minh City, Vietnam on August 30. EURASTiP
aims at launching a European-Asian aquaculture
multi-stakeholder platform which will provide a new
mechanism to create and reinforce international
cooperation on sustainable aquaculture between
Europe and Southeast Asia.
The majority (70-75%) of seafood consumed in
the EU is imported from this region. The Asian
aquaculture industry is rapidly growing and faces
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019
serious challenges in terms of sustainability and
suitable technologies. In this context projects like
EURASTiP are crucial in supporting the industry.
The second EURASTiP brokerage event connected
European aquaculture stakeholders with Southeast
Asian partners through brokerage sessions and field
trips in Vietnam and Thailand.
Vietnam, the Asian miracle
Whether through extensive, organic or intensive
systems, Vietnam has made massive investments
in technology and infrastructure. Ten years ago,
the aquaculture industry was composed of small
stakeholders but now big companies are the largest
world suppliers of species including pangasius.
The EU import value of pangasius decreased from
€331 million in 2013 to €245 million in 2017, a loss
of more than 25% which is mainly attributed to the
negative perception of the product among certain
buyers and consumers. Companies like Vinh Hoan, the
largest pangasius producer and supplier to the world
market, has enforced its quality control system and has

Figure 1. Viet-Uc, the largest shrimp hatchery in Vietnam.
made a huge effort to reach the EU standards.
In fact, Vietnam is the third ASC certified country
in the world after the salmon industry.
Certification was identified as one of the main
needs of the Vietnamese industry to gain trust, but
it has its limitations and other models are needed.
A good example is Viet-Uc, the largest shrimp hatchery
in Vietnam. Viet-Uc produces 15 billion postlarvae
annually and is the only hatchery in Vietnam licensed
to operate a breeding and genetics program. They
apply hatchery management principles through the
whole production process in a high-tech, sustainable,
greenhouse farm that has applied Australian
(NovacqTM) and European (INVE) technologies.
On its path to intensification, pelleted feed is
another milestone. With a FCR of 1.5 in ponds,
pangasius companies like Vin Hoan face environmental
challenges but are embracing new technologies
to reach European standards such as a new RAS
pangasius hatchery to increase survival and quality.
Pangasius and shrimp are Vietnam’s two major
aquaculture products, but the country aims at
diversifying marine species and expanding into open
waters since the country has a huge geographic
potential for aquaculture. The gradually maturing
academia will be a key point for these developments.
Vietnam is also looking at Europe and its salmon
industry as a reference in terms of byproducts.
The Australian-supported company, Vietnam Food,
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019
43
through its extensive R&D portfolio, is developing a wide
variety of shrimp byproducts with even higher value.
Vietnam applies a wide variety of culture techniques,
ranging from extensive, to intensive and organic.
There are still many things to do in terms of quality,
transparency, productivity, sustainability, environmental
protection and living standards. This is why the country
should take advantage of the EURASTiP project and FTA
negotiations to implement a wide range of supporting
and trade-related subsidies to reach 6 million tons of
aquaculture production as expected in the Vision 2030.
Thailand, the tradition
Thailand is not on the same page as Vietnam.
The country is one of the most important players in
the global seafood trade, but has faced big disease
outbreaks in the past which has made them rethink
their production systems toward more sustainable
and biosecure ones.
The Thai industry also moved from extensive to
intensive and integrated systems. In a country of great
traditions, it took more than 10 years to convince
farmers to move to artificial feeds. Now Thailand points
at smart farms as its next step and is also looking at the
salmon industry as a reference.
Since diseases are one of the main challenges that the
country is facing, CP announced its intention to migrate
all its shrimp production from traditional outdoor ponds
to indoor RAS biosecure farms, but small farmers are
44
Figure 2. Bangladesh and EU delegations toured LST Farm during brokerage event in Thailand.
also moving towards more biosecure systems.
Shrimp farming has immense economic importance
for Thailand. Due to the increase in production in
neighboring countries and the consequent fall in prices,
the country has reoriented its targeted market to
premium range and diversifying species such as fish
and new crustaceans.
Thailand’s main advantage is the institutional
support that allows the industry make significant
strides. The Petchaburi Coastal Fisheries R&D Center,
with its zero-waste farm model, and the monosex
Macrobranchium culture at LST Farm, supported by the
NSTDA, are great examples of the Thai government’s
support. There is also a strong network of public
centers supporting farms.
The EU is Thailand's third largest trade partner.
Negotiations for EU-Thailand FTA were put on hold in
2014 and the generalized scheme of preferences (GSP)
was withdrawn in 2015 for products including seafood.
Thailand has made huge efforts in environmental issues
to reach market standards and they expect to reach
an agreement to lift the GSP or a new FTA.
Bangladesh, the under-exploited
Bangladesh, the main EU supplier of Black Tiger
shrimp, is the third targeted country of the EURASTiP
project. A country with traditionally extensive
industry, poor water quality and a complete lack
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019
of intern infrastructure demands a wide variety of
investments. The country also wants to go into intensive
systems and artificial feeds. Bangladesh wants to
produce feed in its own feed mills since it is mainly
imported from India. Ambitious plans for expansion
are expected that could benefit from a stronger
win-win interaction with European stakeholders.
Alongside the emerging Asian technology and
innovation platforms, EURASTiP will continue to
promote and foster mutually beneficial events
to bring together European and Southeast Asian
stakeholders, while encouraging the multi
stakeholder platform working methodology.
In order to optimize aquaculture production and
increase their export market, Southeast Asia requires
innovation in technology, husbandry systems,
production methods and accreditation to the
certification schemes that are prerequisite for the
EU market. Across the EU aquaculture value chain,
Southeast Asia offers unparalleled opportunities
for business development, research, knowledge
transfer and closer aquaculture collaboration.
More information: eurastip.eu
EURASTiP is funded by the European Union’s
Horizon 2020 research and innovation
program under Grant Agreement no. 728030.

Recent Publications
Albert G. Tacon, Ph.D.
Aloha. Continuing the theme from the last issue, I have collected some of the most recent
publications in 2019 that I think will be of interest.
Is a taurine supplement necessary
in fishmeal-based feeds for juvenile
European sea bass (Dicentrarchus
labrax)? Saleh, Norhan E; Wassef,
Elham A; Ashry, Ahmed M.
(2019). Aquaculture International;
Dordrecht (Sep 2019): 1-13.
The effect of taurine
supplementation of fishmeal-based
feeds for juvenile European sea
bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) was
investigated. Fish (initial weight
ca. 5 g) were reared for 90 days in
12 concrete tanks (1 m3), with 50
fish in each tank. Four feeds (44%
crude protein (CP) and 17% lipids
(L)) containing 0 (control (CTRL)),
0.4 (T4), 0.7 (T7) and 1.0 (T10) %
taurine were prepared and were
fed to apparent visual satiation to
triplicate groups of fish. The effects
on fish growth, feed utilization,
proximate chemical composition,
haematology, immune biomarkers
and muscle morphometry were
examined. An increase in the dietary
taurine incorporation resulted in
progressive increases in the growth
metrics, with the highest values
being observed for fish receiving the
T10 feed (weight gain 22 vs 18 g/fish
in CTRL; protein productive value
31 vs 28% in CTRL). Taurine addition
at all levels significantly increased
the fish protein percentage, but
the percentage lipid was reduced
significantly in T4 fish only (7.8%
compared with 9.4% in CTRL fish).
Taurine supplementation resulted
in elevated blood lymphocyte and
monocyte counts and increased
serum phagocytic and lysozyme
activities. Taurine addition at 1%
(T10 feed), the suggested level to
boost growth, altered the dorsal
muscle cellularity and myofibril
ultrastructure, suggesting enhanced
muscle function and firmness in
comparison with that of the fish
given the CTRL feed.
Usage of plant natural products
for prevention and control of
white feces syndrome (WFS)
in Pacific whiteleg shrimp
Litopenaeus vannamei farming
in India. Pandi Palanikumar;
Wahjuningrum, Dinamella; Abinaya,
Paramachandran; Mariavincent,
Michael Babu; Citarasu,
Thavasimuthu. (2019). Aquaculture
International; Dordrecht (Aug 2019):
1-13.
White feces syndrome (WFS)
causes severe economic damages
in Litopenaeus vannamei culture
by the microsporidian parasite,
Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei
(EHP), and it affects mainly
hepatopancreas leading to digestive
and absorptive problems, and finally
the shrimp have poor growth and
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019
COLUMN
Dr. Albert Tacon is a Technical
Editor at Aquafeed.com and
an independent aquaculture
feed consultant.
E: agjtacon@aquahana.com
immune suppression. By improving
the health status of hepatopancreas
and digestive systems, the disease
may be reduced or controlled by
alternative approaches especially
treating with herbal active
principles. The herbal active
characteristics like hepatoprotective
activity, antioxidants, appetizers,
and digestive and growth promoters
highly reduce or control the EHP
problems due to the broad diversity
of active compounds in herbal
products. In the present review,
we discussed the use, formulation,
and method of application of the
herbal extracts like Citrus limon,
Allium sativum, Zingiber officinale,
46
Borassus flabellifer, and Vigna
mungoin Indian L. vannamei culture
systems by the farmers against
white feces syndrome.
Mineral nutrition and bone health
in salmonids. Baeverfjord, Grete;
P Antony Jesu Prabhu; Fjelldal, Per
Gunnar; Albrektsen, Sissel; Hatlen,
Bjarne; et al. (2019). Reviews in
Aquaculture; Burwood Vol. 11, Iss. 3,
(Aug 2019): 740-765.
In the recent years, challenges faced
in salmonid farming with regard to
deformities have helped to improve
our knowledge on skeletal biology
and development of bone health
in salmonids. Different nutritional,
genetic and environmental factors
are associated with skeletal
deformities in salmonids and other
fish species. Minerals are a group
of essential nutrients having a vital
role to play in skeletal development,
growth and remodelling. The
knowledge generated thus far
on the structural and functional
importance of minerals in salmonid
bone health is largely restricted
to phosphorus. A brief account
of dietary phosphorus‐related
bone deformities encountered in
salmonids, critical life stages for the
development of bone deformities,
recent developments in the
understanding of their aetiology
and dietary phosphorus levels
required to improve bone health are
presented. The effect of increased
dietary level of phosphorus in
reducing bone health disorders
under conditions of improved feed
conversion efficiency and use of
triploids in salmon farming are
illustrated with help of metadata
analysis from literature. With
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019
regard to the role of other essential
minerals (macro‐ and micro‐)
impacting bone health in salmonids,
data available are extremely
limited and hence information on
other fish species and mammals
is summarized in relation to bone
development and incidence of
deformities. The need to improve
mineral bioavailability, utilization
and reduce effluent mineral load
is presented in brief with example
from Norwegian salmon farming.
Refinements in mineral requirement
recommendations for salmonids
and advanced methodologies
for studying aetiology of skeletal
anomalies, bone mineral status,
skeletal development and
deformities are also discussed.
Modulation of nutrient utilization,
growth, and immunity of Nile
tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus: the
role of probiotics. Kuebutornye,
Felix K A; Abarike, Emmanuel
Delwin; Michael Essien Sakyi; Lu,
Yishan; Wang, Zhiwen. (2019).
Aquaculture International; Dordrecht
(Sep 2019): 1-15.
The production of Nile tilapia,
Oreochromis niloticus, over the
last few years has increased
due to the adoption of intensive
farming technologies. However,
the continuous increase in O.
niloticus production must be
based on sustainable practices.
Probiotic use in O. niloticus culture
is considered a good alternative
in improving growth, feed
utilization, immune status, and
survival against pathogens which
are common problems currently
faced in intensive culture systems.
Nutrient utilization of fish is one
of the criteria that determines
the production, profitability, and
productivity of the aquaculture
industry. However, research on
probiotics in aquaculture, especially
in O. niloticus culture, is much
geared towards immunity and
disease resistance while areas of
equal importance such as nutrient
utilization which translates into
good health and growth as well as
hepatic indexes which detect tissue
damage caused by toxicants are
less explored. The present review
elucidates the effects of probiotics
on nutrient utilization (proteins,
lipids, fatty acids, carbohydrates,
vitamins, and minerals), growth,
immune status, and disease
resistance of tilapia. Furthermore,
this review tries to point out
gaps in existing literature that
warrant further investigations
and development.
Probiotic application for
sustainable aquaculture.
Mahmoud AO Dawood; Koshio,
Shunsuke; Mohamed M Abdel‐
Daim; Hien Van Doan. (2019).
Reviews in Aquaculture; Burwood
Vol. 11, Iss. 3, (Aug 2019): 907-924.
Aquaculture, which constitutes
one of the largest food production
sectors in the world, is preferably
practiced with natural organic
products rather than with
synthetic chemicals or antibiotics.
In addition to the daunting
challenge of providing food and
livelihood to the exponentially
increasing world population, the
aquaculture industry is key to
ensuring that development is based
on environmentally sustainable
practices, specifically in the

production of aquafeeds. Terrestrial
microorganisms that act as natural
defence systems of cultured species
have been identified as the main
producer for the beneficial bacterial
candidates. Probiotics have recently
gained popularity as beneficial
microbes candidates in cultured
organisms to maintain the health
condition and well‐being of different
aquatic animals. This review aimed
to understand the necessity of
using probiotics as a sustainable
alternative to regulate the growth
performance, feed utilization and
general health condition
for sustainable aquaculture.
Also, explanatory discussion
about the host microbiota and
its ability to produce different
probiotic strains and the probiotic
functionality to ameliorate the
host immunity to provide the
interactive effects on the host‐
derived probiotics. By presenting
the results obtained from the
previous studies about the ability
of probiotics to sustain the aquatic
animal's performances, this study
condensed the current knowledge
and information for future research
and development of the probiotic
application in aquaculture.
Macroalgae as a sustainable
aquafeed ingredient.
Wan, Alex HL; Davies, Simon J;
Anna Soler‐Vila; Fitzgerald, Richard;
Johnson, Mark P. (2019). Reviews in
Aquaculture; Burwood Vol. 11, Iss. 3,
(Aug 2019): 458-492
Macroalgae, commonly known
as seaweed, offer a novel and
added‐value dietary ingredient
in formulated diets for fish.
Production of biomass can be
achieved without reliance on
expensive arable land, as seaweed
may be collected from coastal
regions or farmed. There are three
taxonomic groups represented
by the term ‘macroalgae’:
Rhodophyta (red), Chlorophyta
(green) and Phaeophyta (brown).
Like terrestrial plants, nutritional
content in macroalgae can vary
greatly amongst species, genera,
divisions, seasons and locations.
Aside from their basic nutritional
value, seaweeds contain a number
of pigments, defensive and storage
compounds, and secondary
metabolites that could have
beneficial effects on farmed fish.
This review appraises the beneficial
qualities of these macroalgae
compounds and their potential for
exploitation in commercial finfish
feeds. The current knowledge of
the effects of macroalgae inclusion
in finfish diets is also addressed.
From these >50 fish feeding studies
that were analyzed, enhancing
trends in fish growth, physiology,
stress resistance, immune system
and fillet muscle quality were
reported. However, only a small
fraction of algal species has so
far been investigated as potential
components in finfish diets, and
furthermore, this review has
identified a number of knowledge
gaps that current research has yet to
address. To conclude, an appraisal is
made of the possible technologies
employed to exploit seaweeds to an
industrial level through stablishing
the algal meal, enhancing the
digestibility and functional food
properties.
Dietary β-1,3/1,6-glucans improve
the effect of a multivalent vaccine
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019
47
in Atlantic salmon infected with
Moritella viscosa or infectious
salmon anemia virus.
Fernando de O Roberti Filho; Albers
Koch, João Fernando; Wallace,
Christian; Miguel Costa Leal.
(2019). Aquaculture International;
Dordrecht (Jul 2019): 1-10.
The immunomodulatory properties
of β-glucans are well documented
for several animal species.
However, little is known on their
use as enhancers of non-specific
and specific responses against
Moritella viscosa and infectious
salmon anemia (ISA) virus, which
are two major pathogens affecting
the Atlantic salmon aquaculture
industry. The present study
assessed the effects of dietary
β-1,3/1,6-glucans (MacroGard®)
and vaccination on the survival
of Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar)
post-smolts challenged with
M. viscosa or ISA virus. Dietary
supplementation decreased
mortality in both unvaccinated
(55.4%; RPS end 19.9) and
vaccinated (9.3%; RPS end 86.6)
M. viscosa-challenged fish
compared to the non-supplemented
groups (69.1% and 28.3% mortality
in unvaccinated and vaccinated
fish, respectively; RPS end 59 for
vaccinate non-supplemented fish).
Similarly, mortality of ISA virus-
challenged fish decreased from
87.5% in vaccinated fish without
supplementation (RPS end 9.2) to
70.9% in the supplemented and
vaccinated group (RPS end 26.4). In
summary, these findings show that
dietary β-glucans increase Atlantic
salmon resistance and improve the
protective effect of vaccines against
the tested pathogens.
48
A palatability enhancer that
improves the performance of
feed pellets in shrimp aquaculture
Sofia Morais and Charles Derby
Because shrimp are “slow” and selective feeders with
highly developed chemosensory systems and because
conventional aquaculture systems have low visibility
and high particulate matter, attractants and feeding
stimulants are commonly incorporated into feed
pellets to make them more quickly identified and more
palatable, and thus eaten at a higher rate.
Animal products including fishery byproducts are
widely used palatants (Gatlin et al., 2007; Naylor et
al., 2009: Chamberlain, 2010; Suresh et al., 2011).
However, important disadvantages of these types of
products may be pointed out, particularly regarding
byproducts from low-grade fisheries; these include a
high moisture content and variable composition and
freshness (potentially high levels of oxidation products
and biogenic amines), which can affect the nutritional
quality of the feed, particularly as these products
are often included at high levels. This can lead to
inconsistent or poor results as attractants, and even
more as feeding stimulants and growth promoters.
A formulated high intensity
palatability enhancer
The molecular identities of some of the
chemostimulants are known for a variety of aquatic
animals (Carr, 1988; Carr et al., 1996; Moelzner and
Fink, 2014), and although the list is still incomplete, this
knowledge has been successfully used in formulating
attractants and feeding stimulants (Nunes et al., 2006;
Derby et al., 2018). Similarly, Lucta S.A. (Barcelona,
Spain, www.lucta.com) has developed a proprietary
palatability enhancer (PE) specifically targeting the
palatability and performance of shrimp diets.
The product was formulated as a complex and
concentrated mixture of yeast extract, hydrolysates
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019
of plant protein, specific amino acids, nucleotides, and
other flavoring substances in defined proportions.
When incorporated into standard feed pellets at 1
to 1.5 g per kg feed and tested in eight-week growth
experiments, the PE increased the growth rate and
some other functional parameters, such as the
intestinal morphology and hepatopancreas protease
activity, in Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei,
relative to control diets (Zhu et al., 2019). In the
experiments reported here, we examined the
effect of PE on food ingestion by L. vannamei,
using a laboratory behavioral assay of palatability
(Derby et al., 2016, 2018).
Palatability behavioral assay
The palatability study included four types of feed
pellets. Three of the diets were low palatability
experimental diets (formulated and produced by
Sparos Lda., Olhão, Portugal), and the fourth was a
standard commercially available shrimp feed.
The compositions of the three experimental diets are
shown in Table 1. These were 2.5 mm pellets containing
7.1 percent crude fat and 34.5 percent crude protein
coming from soybean meal, wheat meal, wheat gluten,
and poultry as the only animal protein (i.e., no fishmeal
was included). Two of the diets differed in the feeding
stimulant used – 50 g/kg of krill meal (K) or 3 g/kg
of the PE – and the third was the negative control
(NC) diet that had no feeding stimulants added.
The standard commercial control (CC) diet, with
2.4 mm pellets, contained a minimum of 8 percent
crude fat and 40 percent crude protein, including
5 percent squid meal.
Palatability assays were performed according to Derby
et al., 2016. Juvenile shrimp with an average weight of
 49

Table 1. Composition of experimental feeds. aCargill, Spain; Figure 1. Palatability enhancer improves the palatability of feed
b
Casa Lanchinha, Portugal; cSavinor UTS, Portugal; dFosfitalia, Italy; pellets for Pacific white shrimp. Letters above the bars indicate
e
Roquette, France; fSapropeche, France; gHenry Lamotte Oils GmbH, groups whose values are significantly different. PE: experimental diet
Germany; hLecico GmbH, Germany; iInvivonsa, Portugal; with Lucta´s Palatability Enhancer added at 3 g/kg, K: experimental
j
Seah International, France; kEvonik Nutrition & Care GmbH, diet with krill meal added at 50 g/kg, NC: experimental diet with no
Germany; lAjinomoto Eurolysine SAS, France; mCarbogen Amcis B.V., feeding stimulants added (negative control); CC: commercial control
The Netherlands; nAker Biomarine Antarctic A.S, Norway; diet. See text for explanation of the palatability test.
o
Lucta S.A., Spain.

In conclusion, our research demonstrates that

5.25 g were group housed with 15 to 30 shrimps Lucta’s palatability enhancer is highly effective as
per 80-liter aquarium at a temperature of 24–25oC a concentrated (high intensity) chemostimulant
and salinity of 33–35 ppt. Twelve groups of shrimp that increases the ingestion of standard feed pellets
were tested with each diet. Each experiment by shrimp without the use of animal products.
consisted of adding 13 g of pellets to an aquarium The investigation into new chemoattractive and
and allowing three hours for shrimp to feed, after palatable molecules, particularly from classes not
which the remaining pellets were carefully collected, previously known to be effective on shrimp and
dried and weighed. Control experiments were also that may synergize with the palatability enhancer
performed to correct for changes in pellet mass when both are added to feed pellets, could lead
unrelated to feeding activity of shrimp, in which the to the future development of even more effective
same procedure as above was performed except the feeding enhancers for shrimp aquaculture.
aquaria did not contain animals. Palatability values References available on request.
were quantified as the amount of pellets eaten per
shrimp in a three-hour assay, calculated as the
More information:
change in dry mass of pellets, including a correction
Sofia Morais
for the control. Figure 1 shows the data, expressed as Feed Additives
mean ± S.E.M. (n = 12 aquaria) for each pellet type. Innovation Manager
A repeated measure of ANOVA with LSD post-hoc Lucta S.A., Barcelona, Spain
tests (α=0.05) shows that 3 g/kg palatability enhancer E: sofia.morais@lucta.com
was 75 percent more effective than 50 g/kg krill
meal as a feeding stimulant and 88 percent more
effective than the negative control in enhancing t Charles Derby
he palatability of the experimental diet, both Regents’ Professor of
significant improvements. Furthermore, the PE Neuroscience and Biology
flavored experimental pellets were 49 percent Georgia State University, USA
E: cderby@gsu.edu
more palatable than the commercial diet, also
significantly better.

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019

50

Industry Events Send your meeting details to:

editor@aquafeed.com

NOVEMBER
4 – 6: Aquafeed Extrusion Technology, Temuco, Chile fie.com.au
6 – 8: AFIA Equipment Manufacturers Conference, Florida, USA www.afia.org
6 – 8: Expo Pesca & Acuiperu, Lima, Perú thaiscorp.com
11 – 12: International Conference on Aquaculture aquaculture.heraldmeetings.com
and Fisheries, Bangkok, Thailand
13 – 15: International Symposium on Aquaculture sisal.unam.mx
Nutrition, Yucatán, Mexico
15 – 18: Giant Prawn, Shanghai, China giantprawn.org
19 – 22: Latin American & Caribbean Aquaculture 2019, was.org/lacqua19
San José, Costa Rica

DECEMBER
3 – 5: AlgaEurope 2019 International Conference, Paris, France algaeurope.org

2020
FEBRUARY
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MARCH
24: 13 th Aquafeed Horizons, Bangkok, Thailand www.feedconferences.com
24 - 26: VICTAM and Animal Health and Nutrition Asia, victamasia.com
Bangkok, Thailand

MAY
7 - 9: Guatemala Aquaculture Symposium, acuiculturaypescaenguatemala.com
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JUNE
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AUGUST
30 - Sept 2: Aquaculture Canada and WAS North America, was.org
Newfoundland, Canada

SEPTEMBER
29 - Oct 2: Aquaculture Europe, Cork, Ireland was.org

Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 11 Issue 4 2019

AQUAFEED
CONTACT US VOL 11 ISSUE 4 2019
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