BioMar has announced a significant increase in the levels of vitamin D3 across all its salmon diets. This development is expected to enhance fish health and improve the nutritional value of farmed salmon for consumers.
In 2019, the European Union raised the maximum permitted levels of vitamin D3 in aquafeed for salmonids from 2,500 to 60,000 IU/kg. BioMar conducted research to determine how increased vitamin D3 supplementation would affect salmonoid diets. The findings indicated that higher dietary vitamin D3 levels resulted in a proportional increase in fillet vitamin D3 content without adversely affecting fish performance, feed intake, or feed conversion.
Pedro Gómez Requeni, Senior R&D Scientist at BioMar, stated: “Vitamin D is crucial for fish health, supporting bone development, calcium regulation, and immune function. Our research confirms that feeds with optimised vitamin D3 levels enriched fillet vitamin D content while maintaining an optimal fish performance.”
BioMar has utilized the increased maximum permitted levels of vitamin D3 to provide farmers with salmon diets that promote optimal fish performance and produce fillets with enhanced nutritional value. This supports market differentiation and aligns with consumer preferences for nutrient-rich foods.
Simon Wadsworth, R&D Director at BioMar, commented: “Consumers are becoming more aware of the importance of vitamin D for their health. By formulating feeds that naturally enrich fish fillets, we are helping farmers offer products with added value and supporting public health goals.”
The increased vitamin D3 content in salmon fillets will contribute to higher consumer dietary intake and help address widespread vitamin D insufficiency in many populations. Simon concluded: “This is a practical formulation improvement with wide-reaching impact. It supports healthier fish, helps farmers differentiate their products, and offers consumers an improved nutritional profile.”
BioMar’s production facilities in Myre and Karmøy, Norway have achieved Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) Feed certification. This achievement reinforces BioMar’s global commitment to responsible feed production and ensures Norwegian farmers have access to ASC-compliant feed ahead of upcoming requirements.
Additionally, BioMar Group has partnered with Fóðurblandan’s production facility in Reykjavik for the manufacture and distribution of aquafeed. This marks a significant milestone as BioMar becomes the only global manufacturer with aquafeed production in Iceland.