Bio-conversion of non-food bio-resources to novel feeds for salmonids - a Nordic approach

The rapid growth in the aquaculture industry puts large demands on feed resources. The aquaculture sector must find alternative strategies to grow sustainably.

Cultivating microbes for use as feed can enable the decoupling of protein and other nutrient production, from many of their detrimental environmental effects.We have chosen different side-streams to produce microbial ingredients for use as feed for salmonids.

Microbes is produced by using side streams of household waste (produced in Sweden) from slaughter by-products (Norway) and from the forestry industry (Finland).

All microorganisms used for the production of fish feed are classified as safe for human food but it is the substrates for the microorganisms that also must be safe.

Therefore, a literature review on possible hazards and analysis of EU and feed legislation will be performed.Bioactive substances from the microorganisms, with potential to increase the salmonids health and performance will be tested by using cell models and an in vitro Artemia model.Evaluation of digestibility, growth and health properties of various microbial feeds will be evaluated on rainbow trout and Atlantic salmon.

Immunoresponse and effect on gut microbiota will be studied with genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomics methods.The environmental impact of production of microbial  feed ingredients, consequences of changing  feed composition and impact on the whole fish production chain will be evaluated by using LCA-modelling.