BioMar boosts vitamin D in all salmon feeds to improve fish health and human nutrition

DENMARK – Aquafeed manufacturer BioMar has more than doubled the vitamin D3 levels in all its farmed salmon diets, following new research that confirms the benefits of enhanced supplementation for both fish health and human nutrition.

The move follows the European Union’s increase in the maximum permitted vitamin D3 content in salmonid feed from 2,500 to 60,000 IU/kg in 2019. 

BioMar’s extensive research since then has demonstrated that increasing vitamin D3 in salmon diets results in a proportional increase in fillet vitamin D3 content, without negatively affecting fish performance, feed intake, or feed conversion efficiency.

“Vitamin D is crucial for fish health, supporting bone development, calcium regulation, and immune function,” said Pedro Gómez Requeni, senior R&D scientist at BioMar. 

“Our research confirms that feeds with optimised vitamin D3 levels enriched fillet vitamin D content while maintaining an optimal fish performance.”

Enhancing value across the chain

By incorporating higher vitamin D3 levels into all salmon diets, BioMar is delivering feed that not only ensures optimal fish growth but also produces fillets with enhanced nutritional value. 

This shift supports fish farmers in responding to growing consumer demand for nutrient-rich foods, enabling greater product differentiation in the marketplace.

“Consumers are becoming more aware of the importance of vitamin D for their health,” said Simon Wadsworth, R&D director at BioMar. “By formulating feeds that naturally enrich fish fillets, we are helping farmers offer products with added value and supporting public health goals.”

Vitamin D deficiency is a widespread concern in many regions, and farmed salmon enhanced with naturally elevated levels of the nutrient could help address this gap in daily dietary intake.

“This is a practical formulation improvement with wide-reaching impact,” added Wadsworth. “It supports healthier fish, helps farmers differentiate their products, and offers consumers an improved nutritional profile.”

New collaboration in Iceland

In related news, BioMar has announced a strategic partnership with Fóðurblandan, a Reykjavik-based Company, to manufacture and distribute aquafeed in Iceland.

The partnership aims to produce high-quality feed locally, reducing the industry’s carbon footprint and improving supply chain resilience.

“Fóðurblandan’s experience and strong supply chain infrastructure makes them an ideal partner to support our customers’ ambitions in Iceland,” said BioMar VP of Salmon Paddy Campbell.

The collaboration will include upgrades to Fóðurblandan’s production facility and the creation of a new distribution centre. 

BioMar has appointed Mike McLeish as Business Unit Director for Iceland and Johannes Gislason as Sales and Business Development Manager to lead the initiative.

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