Research finds PFAS in marine feed ingredients, raises regulatory concerns

NORWAY – A survey by the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research has detected per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in marine feed ingredients, sparking growing concerns about potential regulatory action. 

According to AquaFeed, the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research analyses feed ingredients and aquafeeds yearly to determine whether they contain PFAS and other environmental toxins.

The study, conducted in 2023, revealed the presence of these human-made chemical compounds in fishmeal and fish oil, both commonly used in animal feed. 

Notably, vegetable and insect meals and vegetable oils tested free of detectable PFAS levels.

PFAS, used since the 1940s in various industrial applications, are known for their resistance to grease, water, oil, and heat. 

However, their persistence in the environment and ability to bioaccumulate in living organisms have led to increased scrutiny. 

Research has suggested that PFAS can suppress the immune system, heightening concerns about their impact on human and animal health.

The European Union has already set limits on four specific PFAS compounds in human food products, citing food as the primary exposure route for most individuals, but no limit values have yet been established for animal feed or feed ingredients.

According to Anne-Katrine Lundebye, a researcher at the Institute of Marine Research, similar limits will likely be applied to animal feed to prevent contamination of the human food supply. 

This move could pose significant challenges for using marine ingredients in animal feed, given the measurable levels of PFAS detected in fishmeal and fish oil.

Lundebye emphasized that the survey did not screen for all known PFAS compounds, underlining the urgent need for further research. 

The Institute is currently developing methods to detect additional PFAS chemicals and is advocating for toxicological studies to understand their health effects better. 

For other compounds, the level of several metals, PCBs, and dioxins in salmon feeds was below the limit. 

The levels of metals such as arsenic, mercury, and cadmium and organic pollutants were higher in starter and smolt feed than in grow-out feed. 

“A possible explanation could be that starter and smolt feed has more marine ingredients than grow-out feed. It is known that marine raw materials can have higher levels of these unwanted substances than plant-based raw materials,” Lundebye concluded.

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