BioMar, a global provider of feed for more than 45 different fish and shrimp species, is scaling up the inclusion of microalgae into its flagship product line. This will enable BioMar make its production more sustainable and reduce dependency on wild fish stocks.

The research and development on algae-based ingredients in BioMar dates back in 2013 with extensive internal and external research projects. A recent example was the “Alga4Fuel&Aqua” project, a collaboration between BioMar Hellenic, the University of Thessaly and other partners.

The first commercial feeds containing microalgae hit the markets in 2016, and by 2021 BioMar had reached one million tonnes of salmon feeds containing microalgae. Now with its the upscaling in the raw material portfolio at the Brande facility in BioMar, microalgae are now no longer considered a niche ingredient.

Anders Brandt-Clausen, Managing Director, BioMar Baltics, explains, “microalgae have been a strategic ingredient for us for years, and still is. We are now delighted to increase the volumes we use significantly and raise the sustainability bar for our flagship products. Microalgae are no longer a novel idea, it has become a commercial reality.”

Marine ingredients such as fishmeal and fish oil are excellent sources of nutrients vital for fish nutrition, however they are finite resources. By including microalgae high in long chain omega fatty acids in feed diets, it is now possible to bypass the wild fish and go straight to the original source of marine omega-3. This helps to relieve pressure on our oceans while ensuring that the fish are getting the optimal nutrition required, and it also lowers the Fish In : Fish Out ratio."

This move is consistent with BioMar's goal of using raw materials and ingredients that don’t compete with the human supply chain. The company's target is to have 50% of feeds being circular and restorative by 2030. Circular raw materials are those originating from by-product and waste streams, while restorative ingredients are t hose that lead to net-positive environmental outcomes.

AlgaPrime™ DHA, supplied by Corbion, is to be included in the formulation of BioMar’s high performing flagship diets, and will aid in furthering the sustainability profile of product series such as Blue IMPACT, EFICO Enviro and ORBIT.

“We see this as the birth stage for the next generation feeds with a highly sustainable profile. Adding microalgae paves the way for the upcoming developments on our sustainable feeds that our farmers will directly benefit with a reduction in their own on-farm footprint” Anders Brandt-Clausen concludes.

To learn more about BioMar, visit their website: biomar.com