The study is led by The F3 – Future of Fish Feed initiative.
Photo by Darryl Jory
The F3 – Future of Fish Feed initiative has presented a new study that makes it possible to determine and verify the origin of the ingredients used in feeds for farmed fish.
Promoted by the Global Seafood Alliance (GSA), this research says that natural nitrogen isotope signatures found in fish muscle can be used to determine whether fishmeal has been included in aquaculture feeds.
The process involved analyzing carbon and nitrogen isotope data from fish muscle samples collected during feeding trials involving seven aquaculture species, along with feed samples from two separate trials.
Among the study's findings, the researchers discovered that the nitrogen isotope known as δ¹⁵N consistently distinguished fish fed diets containing fishmeal from those raised on alternative ingredients.
These findings, published in the journal Fishes, could become a new tool for producers and seafood buyers to verify the origin of feed ingredients. However, more research is needed to determine its ability to detect smaller amounts of fishmeal in aquaculture feeds.
"As next-generation feed ingredients scale and aquaculture producers adopt formulation strategies that reduce reliance on marine ingredients, isotopic analysis could help validate sustainability claims, detect potential fraud and strengthen consumer confidence," assured Michael Tlusty, professor of sustainability and food solutions at the University of Massachusetts Boston and F3 Challenge judge.
As an additional finding, the study also showed that fish fed mixed diets combining plant- and animal-based ingredients consistently displayed intermediate values. According to the researchers, this method could eventually help trace the origin of feed ingredients.
F3 – Future of Fish Feed brings together companies, researchers, non-profit organizations and aquaculture producers to demonstrate that fish and shrimp can be raised profitably using feeds made with alternative ingredients.
The F3 Fish Farm Challenge, a global competition focused on eliminating the use of wild-caught marine ingredients in aquaculture feeds, will put this new tool to the test.
