Advanced BioNutrition Corp. (ABN), a leader in developing functional nutrition technology to improve animal health and human nutrition, announced that it has received a $50,000 grant from SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) to support a study on “Non-marine Based Fishmeal and Fish Oil Strategies for the Production of Aquaculture Feed.”
The grant, which is funded by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency), is helping to fund large scale tests of ABN’s fishmeal-alternative diets for shrimp. These trials, which are in progress in growout ponds in South Carolina, are planned as the final phase of ABN’s optimization of diets with non-marine based ingredients for shrimp.
“ABN’s shrimp feed initiative is part of the company’s larger ‘eco-friendly’ strategy to replace fishmeal and fish oil in aquatic feeds with ABN’s DHA-containing algal meal products,” said David J. Kyle, CEO of Advanced BioNutrition. The removal of products of marine origin not only maintains the sustainability of the aquaculture industry, but also removes the ‘back door’ for contaminants in aqua feeds, while maintaining the valuable nutritional profile of omega-3 fatty acids in the aquacultured products.
Following the completion of this research, ABN expects to submit its shrimp diet for organic certification. The company anticipates that organic diets for shrimp farming could be available as early as next growing season.
“ABN has taken a lead position in providing a science-based solution that totally replaces fishmeal and fish oil, and provides a solution to raising toxin-free seafood in a sustainable fashion,” said Robert A. Bullis, D.V.M., Director of Animal Health and Regulatory Affairs, who is leading ABN’s eco-friendly feed initiative. “As a plus, in the future it can enable organic aquaculture.”
“Our shrimp trial provides a jumping-off point for research in other aquacultured fish. This should open the way for optimization of non-marine sourced feeds for coldwater species such as salmon and rainbow trout, and warm-water species such as catfish and tilapia.”
Dr. Bullis was invited to deliver the keynote speech on ABN’s fishmeal/fish oil replacement strategy at the first international conference on organic aquaculture, Organic Aquaculture & Sea Farming 2004, held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in June.
He delivered a plenary session address, “Environmental and Social Aspects of Organic Aquaculture,” as well as a technical development session address, “The Development of Shrimp Feeds for Organic Aquaculture.” Abstracts of Dr. Bullis’s talks are available on request from ABN, and are posted at ABN’s website, or below:
Environmental and Social Aspects of Organic Aquaculture [PDF]
The Development of Shrimp Feeds for Organic Aquaculture [PDF]
About ABN
Advanced BioNutrition is a leader in developing technology to improve animal health and functional nutrition. The company is headquartered in Columbia, MD.USA. www.abn-corp.com
