BioMar has completed the testing of insect meal in feeds for aquaculture and believe it shows promise as an alternative protein source. This is one among many novel ingredients, such as algae oil or single cell proteins, that BioMar has been investigating. BioMar believes these raw materials can address some of the needs of the market and are now eager to speed up their adoption through the creation of innovative feed solutions targeting the needs of seafood consumers.
BioMar has been investigating insect meal since 2015 at its research and development centers, and from 2017 the company has been undertaking tests with customers who have been feeding their fish on diets containing insect meal. These fish have already made their way to supermarkets in Europe among retailers eager to implement future-oriented food solutions that focus on natural foods.
Michel Autin, Technical Director at BioMar’s EMEA Division, said that “innovation of course comes at a cost, but farmers who are the first movers with insect meal will benefit from a strong market position. Insect meal has a future as an alternative protein source in aquaculture feeds if the price of this new raw material can be kept at reasonable limits. We have good test results on insect meal originating from black soldier flies, mealworms and others, which makes it a promising raw material.”
According to a research undertaken by Deloitte, today’s consumers are looking for more than just price, taste and convenience when they are shopping. Consumers are seeking more natural food choices that have a minimal impact on nature. BioMar has the capabilities to offer innovative seafood solutions that will help consumers who are in search for healthy and wholesome “back to nature” products that are also mindful of the environment. This is where insect meal can play a role. Insect meal is only one of the many innovative raw materials in BioMar’s pipeline. They are recipe creators and have other game changing ingredients that can be used in crafting innovative feed solutions. What is important here is the ability to identify the opportunities and consumer trends and the capability to craft the solution with the right combination of ingredients and technology know how.
BioMar has for several years undertaken projects with customers who wanted to create seafood brands that address consumer needs and expectations, to make changes that will shape the future of seafood.
The first collaboration project was ‘In the Blue,’ a sustainable salmon created by partnership with Kavøry, Wholefoods and BioMar. Also, already in the market is Silverside Coho created with Vertisqueros, and more branded seafood products making a differentiation through their feed recipe will soon be hitting markets across European and the Americas, the company said.
