Menlo Park, California, U.S.A.-based Calysta, the maker of FeedKind protein, has announced a partnership with the Norwegian Institute of Food, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research (Nofima) to conduct large-scale trials on Atlantic salmon.
FeedKind is a non-animal source of protein that Calysta has developed as a means to improve feed efficiency and fish health, according to the company. It has been approved for sale in the European Union and several Asian countries. The product has previously been tested on Pacific white shrimp, with tests showing higher survival and growth rates when compared to shrimp fed a standard fishmeal-based diet.
Calysta Senior Director and FeedKind Product Manager Allan LeBlanc said the goal of the Nofima trials will be to improve feed efficiency and fish health through large-scale trials.
“The aquaculture industry is actively seeking new solutions to reduce costs associated with biological challenges and environmental impact,” LeBlanc said. We look forward to working with Nofima, the industry’s preeminent research organization, to address these compelling market demands.”
LeBlanc said FeedKind is more sustainable than other aquafeed products as it requires no wild-caught fish inputs or use of agricultural land.
Nofirma Research Director Mari Moren said the trials, to be designed by Nofima, will begin in early 2019.
“We are eager to do research on FeedKind as we believe that this may be an example of new protein sources that can contribute to a more sustainable aquaculture,” Moren said. “FeedKind’s effect on salmon will be thoroughly tested at Nofima’s research facilities, along with the effects this protein may have on the physicochemical qualities of the feed pellet.”
