Located in Thurgau, Switzerland, Nutreco's 'Garden of the Future' is the place where Nutreco Exploration encompasses all its phytotechnology activities.
Photo: Nutreco.
Global aquafeed company Skretting has announced the launch of Necto, a new plant-based functional fish feed focused on protecting fish health and welfare, which will be available in selected countries from late 2025.
Formulated with exclusive EDGEOS PhytoComplexes, a synergistic blend of bioactive compounds derived from plants produced by Nutreco Exploration, the company aims to respond to one of the main challenges currently facing the aquaculture industry.
In addition to PhytoComplexes, the new feed offers an advanced composition of functional ingredients that, when combined, form a complex, innovative, and effective solution that can act in multiple ways to support fish resilience.
Thus, according to Skretting's release, Necto enables fish to resist stressors that affect their health and welfare, adapt to challenges and maintain their performance, and recover and return to normal functioning.
The company added that the results of independent third-party studies consistently show that fish health and welfare improved with its use, with higher survival rates in several species.
Skretting's plant-based functional fish feed, Necto.
Photo: Skretting.
Skretting's parent company, Nutreco, has a phytotechnology program that harnesses the power of the plant kingdom for application in aquatic species and livestock. This enables them to develop PhytoComplexes, or plant metabolites, which, when added to feed, exhibit a specific molecular effect that is beneficial to animals.
The PhytoComplexes now in use were created specifically for use in aquaculture in collaboration with Nutreco Exploration, the division of Nutreco specializing in plant research and the development of novel and unique ingredients.
Backed by many years of research and studies— it is the result of a collaboration between nine research partners in five different countries—the new feed is the company's first product to incorporate them commercially, representing a significant milestone in Skretting's innovation journey in fish nutrition.
"Necto is not just another phytogenic solution - it's a revolution in aquaculture. Through the precise selection and advanced cultivation of certain plants, we have taken a health product's multifunctional performance to the next level," said Anna Hesby Nessa, Skretting's Global Product Manager Warm Water Species Health.
As Skretting pointed out in its release, the aquaculture industry's focus has shifted from disease resistance to overall welfare and health, with a growing emphasis on resilience, or the ability of fish to withstand and cope with challenges.
With the new feed, Skretting said it goes beyond traditional feed formulations and sets a new standard in functional diets to support fish resilience. This is explained by Dr Gordon Ritchie, Skretting's Global Product Manager Salmon Health.
"Functional feeds have been used effectively in our industry for several decades, but Necto is completely unique. It is a powerhouse combination of solid nutrition, well-established functional ingredients and PhytoComplexes, which supports normal immune function and physiological processes in healthy fish, helping them cope with the impacts of inflammation and natural environmental stressors," he said.
Dr Linda Jensen, Skretting's Team Lead Health and responsible for the new plant-based functional fish feed research, spoke on the same vein. "With Necto, we are harnessing the complexity of plants and combining this with years of experience in health research, to create a truly innovative diet," she claimed. And concluded, "Necto is a holistic solution that supports fish health and resilience in an unprecedented way."
