The value-chain project The Feed of Today is The Food of Tomorrow, a collaborative project developed by Metro Turkey, Hatko Aquaculture and Skretting Turkey, resulted in premium fish products that have improved sustainability credentials, growth conditions and health benefits for consumers.
Seabream and seabass produced in the project have been fed a specialized feed, Marine Omega™, from Skretting Turkey, containing Veramaris algal oil to maximize both the EPA and DHA omega-3 content, and reduce the inclusion of marine ingredients in the feed. In this first phase of the project, 150 tonnes of fish have been fed Marine Omega, with 180 tonnes of marine ingredients being substituted. Following the first harvest, the products have been introduced to the market by Metro Turkey, expanding their nutritious and sustainable seafood offering.
The project was initiated in 2021, and Skretting Turkey is encouraged by the results so far. “The pandemic has emphasized the need for sustainable, healthy and local foods and revealed consumer expectations for companies to continue their operations in a conscious, transparent and ethical manner,” said Pinar Demir Soker, technical manager at Skretting Turkey. “Through our global expertise in feed, we have developed a product that is a part of the solution in the journey of sustainability in food, so that we can leave sufficient, healthy, quality seafood for future generations.”
The market-ready fish contain more omega-3 fatty acids than other products on the market, providing highly valued benefits for consumers.
Veramaris CEO, Karim Kurmaly said, “we know that both EPA and DHA omega-3 are imperative for the health and quality of farmed fish and ultimately determine the nutritional benefits and quality the consumer needs. This collaboration is an example of how the value chain can work together to respond to customer demands for nutritious, high quality and more sustainable seafood while also contributing to a more sustainable aquaculture sector overall.”
In addition to the health benefits of added omega-3 fatty acids, the project has also had a focus on fish welfare. The fish offered to consumers with the Metro Premium brand are grown at low density with 8-10 kilograms fish/m3 in Hatko Aquaculture pens.
Skretting Turkey general manager, Ziya Özaydin, added, “we know that one of the future challenges of aquaculture to meeting the healthy protein needs of the increasing world population will be access to ingredients that are sustainable and will not compete with human food. We are aware of our long-term responsibility to bring innovative solutions to combat this challenge.”
Today, seabream can be found on the shelves of Metro Turkey. Seabass will be available from May 2022.
