Aquaculture
In the past decade the industrial aquafeed industry has known the most remarkable growth of all feed industries. In 2006 aquaculture industries worldwide supplied about 43% of total food fish supplies, with fish representing a substantial 20% of the animal protein intake. This industry has become an important player in worldwide human protein supply.
Alternatives to fish meal
With worldwide limited resources of fish meal and fish oil and growing general demand for feed, the rapidly growing aquafeed industry in particular soon realised that the challenge was to come up with alternative sources of protein for feeding their fish.
Research over the past decade has proven that vital wheat gluten (BeneoPro W) is a viable alternative to substitute a large part of the fish meal in salmonid diets as well as in diets for bass and bream.
Besides concentrated and easily-digestible protein, it also gives aquafeed functional properties which in particular represents an added value in, e.g., salmonid feeds, shrimp feed and eel feed.
The rice protein, RemyPro N70 also has applications in certain high-quality/speciality feeds.
Stimulation of intestinal health
The booming intensive aquafeed industry is facing a number of health problems. The pressure for reduction of the use of antibiotics has forced the industry to seek alternatives. Colonization by pathogenic bacteria is limited through stimulation of the growth of beneficial bacteria in the intestinal tract. Inulin and oligofructose have been reported to have a prebiotic effect in various aquatic species.