Feed pellets bags at BioMar. Photo: BioMar
The aquafeed manufacturer BioMar has announced it has increased the amount of vitamin D3 used in all its salmon diets, more than doubling previous levels. The company claims the change will benefit both fish welfare and human nutrition, following research that links higher vitamin D levels in feed to improved outcomes.
The reformulation of BioMar's salmon feed follows a regulatory shift in 2019, when the European Union raised the maximum allowable level of vitamin D3 in aquafeed for salmonids from 2,500 to 60,000 IU/kg. This prompted BioMar to begin investigating the impact of increased supplementation, finding that higher dietary levels led to proportional increases in the vitamin D3 content of salmon fillets. According to the company, no adverse effects were observed on feed intake, growth rates or overall fish performance.
“Vitamin D is crucial for fish health, supporting bone development, calcium regulation, and immune function,” said Pedro Gómez Requeni, Senior R&D Scientist at BioMar, in a press release. “Our research confirms that feeds with optimised vitamin D3 levels enriched fillet vitamin D content while maintaining an optimal fish performance.”
With this change, BioMar states that all farmers using its salmon diets will benefit from feeds that not only support fish health but also result in fillets with a higher nutritional value. The company suggests this could help fish producers stand out in the market, responding to growing consumer demand for food with added health benefits.
“Consumers are becoming more aware of the importance of vitamin D for their health,” said Simon Wadsworth, R&D Director at BioMar. “By formulating feeds that naturally enrich fish fillets, we are helping farmers offer products with added value and supporting public health goals.”
“This is a practical formulation improvement with wide-reaching impact. It supports healthier fish, helps farmers differentiate their products, and offers consumers an improved nutritional profile," he added.
