IRIDA participates in NewTechAqua study evaluating the use of organic, novel ingredients in fish feed formulations

Our colleague, Phelly Vasilaki, along with our partners from IRTA conducted a study under the framework of NewTechAqua, a European scientific program. The study aimed to evaluate the use of novel ingredients like green pea protein and brown seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum as partial replacement ingredients for fish meal in feeds suitable for organic production. The study conducted a lab scale trial and a large-scale field trial in the facilities of Galaxidi Marine Farm to compare the novel feed with a typical commercial feed suitable for organic production. The growth, feed utilization, and fillet composition of gilthead seabream were examined.

The results showed that there were no significant differences between the final weight, growth rate, and somatic indices of the fish fed these alternative ingredients compared to the control group fed the commercial diet. The fish fed with the experimental diets had higher muscle protein content, and the fatty acid composition was higher in terms of n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated (PUFA), eicosapentanoic (EPA), and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acid content. These results suggest that these novel ingredients can be used for partial replacement of fishmeal obtained from trimmings in feed formulations for organic production.

The findings of the study has been presented recently during the annual meeting of the NewTechAqua in L’Ampolla, Catalonia, Spain from 22-23 of March.

The study has been published in “Aquaculture” scientific magazine and can be assessed here