Corbion's algae omega-3 ingredient recognized for driving innovation in seafood sustainability
AMSTERDAM, April 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Corbion announced today that its omega-3 rich algae feed ingredient, AlgaPrime DHA, was selected as an Honorable Mention in the Food category of Fast Company's 2020 World Changing Ideas Award.
According to the FAO, global consumption of farmed seafood has surpassed wild seafood and aquaculture is one of the fastest growing food producing sectors in the world. Fish oil is a critical nutrient in the feed for many farmed fish since it is the only source of important long chain omega-3s (EPA and DHA fatty acids). As fish farming continues to grow, fish oil supplies are not expected to keep up with this growth.
Recognizing this looming resource constraint, scientists at Corbion turned to the original source of long chain omega-3s - marine microalgae. AlgaPrime DHA is a clean and sustainable source of long chain omega-3s from algae that contains approximately three times the level of DHA of fish oil. AlgaPrime DHA is sustainably produced through fermentation with a production system powered by renewable energy.
Due to Corbion's scale of production of AlgaPrime DHA, this new source of long chain omega-3s has become economically affordable for salmon farmers, the major consumer of long chain omega-3s. This game changing innovation helps farmers meet the growing demand for salmon and increase omega-3 levels in fish, without putting more pressure on marine fisheries.
"Aquaculture is becoming an increasingly important contributor to the global food system. To meet the continuing growth in demand for fish oil and fish meal, sustainable alternatives are needed," says Dr. Piers Hart, Seafood and Aquaculture Specialist, World Wildlife Fund, UK. "The adoption of algae omega-3s in salmon feed has been a breakthrough for aquaculture and reduces the pressure on forage fisheries and the ocean environment."
The Fast Company World Changing Ideas Honorable Mention Award for AlgaPrime DHA is the latest in a series of milestones that acknowledges the demand for algae-fed salmon among farmers, brands, retailers and consumers.
"It can take years for the adoption of a novel ingredient to gain critical mass, and a key aspect of AlgaPrime DHA's success has come from our collaboration with salmon farmers and BioMar, the leading innovator in aquaculture feed," said Chris Haacke, Corbion's Global Aquaculture Lead. "Adopting such a new ingredient took real courage and a great deal of effort to ensure success. Over the past year, we've seen a tipping point in adoption to meet the growing demand for more sustainable and nutritious seafood at every point in the supply chain."
Now in its fourth year, the annual Fast Company World Changing Ideas Awards program honors businesses, policies, projects and concepts that offer innovative solutions to the biggest issues facing humanity including transportation, education, food, politics, technology, and more. A panel of eminent judges selected winners, finalists and honorable mentions from a pool of more than 3,000 entries from across the globe. All of the finalists are highlighted in the May/June issue of the print magazine, which hits newsstands May 5.
About Corbion
Corbion is the global market leader in lactic acid, lactic acid derivatives, and a leading company in emulsifiers, functional enzyme blends, minerals, vitamins and algae ingredients. We develop sustainable ingredient solutions to improve the quality of life for people today and for future generations. For over 100 years, we have been uncompromising in our commitment to safety, quality, innovation and performance. Drawing on our deep application and product knowledge, we work side-by-side with customers to make our cutting edge technologies work for them. Our solutions help differentiate products in markets such as food, home & personal care, animal nutrition, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and bioplastics. In 2019, Corbion generated annual sales of € 976.4 million and had a workforce of over 2,000 employees. Corbion is listed on Euronext Amsterdam. For more information: www.corbion.com
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