In California, TerraVia says feeding farmed salmon its omega-3-rich, algae-based AlgaPrime DHA could help combat a decline in the popular fish’s omega-3 fatty acid content. It could also reduce the need to source fish feed from already low ocean populations.
According to a Stirling University study, the amount of omega-3 fatty acid in farmed salmon in the United Kingdom has declined 50% in the last decade. The decline is largely attributed to changes in salmon feed, as the small, oily fish commonly used to feed farmed salmon has become increasingly scarce.
AlgaPrime DHA contains approximately three times the level of DHA compared to fish oil, and could help boost omega-3 content in salmon, a benefit TerraVia says. “One ton of AlgaPrime DHA is the equivalent of saving up to 40 tons of wild caught fish from our oceans on a DHA basis,” the company says.
AlgaPrime DHA was developed in collaboration with Bunge and is produced at the companies’ SB Renewable Oils joint venture plant in Brazil.