Dutch algal oil supplier Veramaris has been authorised to provide its products to the Canadian aquafeed industry as an alternative to fish oils.
The company said the authorisation – the first in Canada – would allow it to provide the Canadian salmon industry eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) & docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) nutrients certified by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) and Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).
Produced in Blair, Nebraska, USA, the algal oil supported the industry’s move towards adopting alternative omega-3 sources and reducing dependency on fish oil as a primary source of essential fatty acids for salmon feed, Veramaris said on 11 March.
“The Canadian registration of Veramaris’ algal oil is key to supporting the rising global demand for alternative sources of omega-3 EPA & DHA. Securing authorisation in Canada is an important step not only for Veramaris but also for the entire aquaculture industry,” Veramaris CEO Gertjan de Koning said.
Tim Kennedy, president and CEO of the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance, said Canadian aquaculture was “at a pivotal point” and Veramaris’ algal oil brought the sector closer to achieving its sustainability aspirations.
Headquartered in Delft, the Netherlands, Veramaris is a joint venture between DSM and Evonik, both global science and speciality chemicals companies.
Veramaris uses two materials to produce its algal oil – corn sugar and marine algae.
During a fermentation process, algae cells multiply and convert dextrose into omega-3 fatty acids.
In the downstream process, the cell wall is broken and excess water is removed from the oil by centrifugation, resulting in a highly concentrated algal oil.
The company said its strain of Schizochytrium produced high concentrations of EPA and DHA.
Canada is the world’s fourth largest producer of salmonids, including farmed Atlantic salmon.
