Algal feed shows promise in shrimp sector

Thai Union Group has announced promising results when using AlgaPrime DHA, which is produced by Corbion, in its shrimp feeds.

"Our new opportunity with Thai Union demonstrates our continued commitment to sustainability," said Chris Haacke, global aquaculture lead at Corbion. "Shrimp farming is one of the fastest growing sectors in the aquaculture industry, and AlgaPrime DHA has the potential to offer shrimp farmers assurance in traceability and sustainability of their feed, while also allowing them to add beneficial omega-3s to their product."

Shrimp farming currently consumes approximately 100,000 tonnes of fish oil annually, predominantly because fish oil contains DHA, a key ingredient in shrimp growth and development. Global demand for long chain omega-3s, such as DHA and EPA, is growing rapidly, but their availability from their current source – wild caught fish – is limited.

Since 2016, Corbion has been producing AlgaPrime DHA at large industrial scale relevant to the needs of the aquaculture industry. Developed to reduce dependency on marine fisheries and provide a new source of long-chain omega-3s for the aquaculture industry, AlgaPrime DHA is a native, whole algae ingredient that contains approximately three times the level of DHA of fish oil. AlgaPrime DHA is produced through fermentation with non-GM cane sugar as a feedstock.

"At Thai Union, our SeaChange sustainability strategy drives meaningful improvements across the entire global seafood industry, especially when it comes to traceable and responsible sourcing," said Darian McBain, global director of corporate affairs and sustainability at Thai Union. "By working with Corbion, we are progressing our goal to bring even more responsibly sourced and sustainably harvested shrimp to market."