New research from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences is investigating ways to increase fish feed production, by converting Norwegian spruce trees into yeast to be used as a fishmeal replacement

The increasing use of fishmeal derived from wild fish is currently a challenge that the salmon farming sector is working hard to overcome. Many fishmeal replacements including soy and algae have been studied, some of which are currently in use, but this is the first time that trees have been being studied.

Professor Margareth Øverland is undertaking the research at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, which hosts the new Centre for Research-based Innovation (CRI) - Foods of Norway project.

As well as understanding how trees can be converted into yeast to create feed, Foods of Norway also aims to upgrade the nutritional value of many local products, such as, farmed brown macro algae through the use of fractionation and bio-refinery.

Although the feed being created is relevant for a variety of fish species and some terrestrial farmed animals, Professor Øverland noted that the project will look specifically at Atlantic salmon, which is the most farmed species in Norway.

Source: Lucy Towers, TheFishSite. Read the full article here.