Algae-based food and feed ingredients developer Corbion announced during this week’s SeaWeb Seafood Summit that recent trials of AlgaPrime DHA in shrimp feed for Thai Union Group have been a success.
A sustainably produced, algae-based source of long-chain omega-3s, AlgaPrime DHA is “globally recognized for improving omega-3 traceability and reducing the fish-in fish-out ratio of farmed seafood,” Corbion said. The company has been producing AlgaPrime DHA since 2016; it established the fish oil alternative/supplement with the aim of reducing dependency on marine fisheries and providing a new source of long-chain omega-3s for the aquaculture industry.
By partnering with major seafood supplier Thai Union, Corbion has been able to further demonstrate its commitment to sustainability while delving into one of aquaculture’s fastest growing categories, said Chris Haacke, the global aquaculture lead at Corbion, who spoke on a panel at this year’s summit in Bangkok, Thailand, alongside Thai Union’s Darian McBain.
"Our new opportunity with Thai Union demonstrates our continued commitment to sustainability," Haacke said. "Shrimp farming is one of the fastest growing sectors in the aquaculture industry, and AlgaPrime DHA has the potential to offer shrimp farmers assurance in traceability and sustainability of their feed, while also allowing them to add beneficial omega-3s to their product."
"At Thai Union, our SeaChange sustainability strategy drives meaningful improvements across the entire global seafood industry, especially when it comes to traceable and responsible sourcing," said McBain, who serves as the global director of corporate affairs and sustainability at Thai Union. "By working with Corbion, we are progressing our goal to bring even more responsibly-sourced and sustainably harvested shrimp to market."
For the trials, Corbion and Thai Union swapped out fish oil in shrimp feed with AlgaPrime DHA, yielding positive results that met with developer and supplier expectations, McBain said.
“The shrimp are happy, they’re growing, you can get a product out of it,” she said.
AlgaPrime DHA – which is a clean ingredient produced through fermentation with non-GM cane sugar as a feedstock – found its initial foothold in salmon feeds, Haacke recalled.
“Over the last two years, we’ve included AlgaPrime DHA in over 350,000 tons of salmon feed,” he said, noting that Corbion has seen the product thrive in each of the species segments the company is currently working in. “We’ve done it in shrimp. It’s used extensively in salmon. We’re working in trout, we’re working in European seabass and seabream, and on every species that we’re operating at the moment, we’ve shown that the product works very well to replace or supplement omega-3s from fish oil.”
Shrimp farming currently consumes approximately 100,000 tons of fish oil annually, predominantly because fish oil contains DHA, a key ingredient in shrimp growth and development, according to Corbion.
“Global demand for omega-3s, such as DHA, is growing rapidly, but the availability of omega-3s from their current source – wild-caught fish – is limited,” the company explained.
Haacke and McBain spoke during a 13 June session at SWSS19 entitled "Innovation in Action: The Journey Toward Incorporating Novel Feed Ingredients and Engaging Consumers." They were joined by Calysta’s Allan Leblanc and moderator Ronnie Tan of Aquaculture Consult.
