Malento’s high-protein aquafeed supplement reduces rainbow trout mortality

SOUTH AFRICA – A recent study has demonstrated the significant benefits of a novel high-protein aquafeed supplement, Palate+, produced by the agri-tech company Maltento. 

The supplement, made from protein-rich black soldier fly larvae, has been shown to improve immune responses and reduce mortality rates in rainbow trout. 

Black soldier fly larvae are among the few insect species approved for use as feed in aquaculture within the European Union.

The Cape Town-based marine surveyor MariHealth Solutions conducted the validation study at the Sanlei trout farm in Lesotho. 

Sanlei is notable for being the first African aquaculture business to obtain the prestigious Global Seafood Alliance Best Aquaculture Practices certification. 

The study compared blood proteome profiles between two groups of fish: one group was fed a diet supplemented with Palate+, while the other group was fed a standard basal diet.

The findings revealed that fish on the Palate+ diet exhibited stronger immune defense responses than those on the basal diet. 

According to Maltento, the improvement in immunity is likely due to the presence of chitin and unique proteins in the supplement, which are known to stimulate the fish’s immune system.

Additionally, the fish on the experimental diet experienced lower mortality rates than expected.

Dr. B. Spolander, one of the researchers involved in the study, highlighted the notable upregulation of immune function pathways in the fish fed the experimental diet. 

“It is both very encouraging and interesting that C4 [the fish fed the experimental diet] showed such a notable upregulation of immune function pathways compared to C5 [control], where so many important variables regarding immune system comparison were kept the same: genetics, location of cages, water quality variables, and the infectious agent challenge would have been very similar,” Dr. Spolander said in a press release.

The study’s impressive results suggest further research to fully understand Palate+’s benefits. Dean Smorenburg, Maltento’s chief executive, expressed his excitement about the future of the company’s products. 

“The groundbreaking insights of this initial study underscore the undeniable health benefits of Maltento’s product and demonstrate the advantages of an insect-based, sustainable, protein-rich animal feed. Maltento’s products have been proven to increase gut health, immune response, and decrease mortality in fish,” he concluded.

This promising development in aquafeed supplements highlights the potential of insect-based proteins to enhance fish health and sustainability in aquaculture, paving the way for more innovative and environmentally friendly solutions in the industry.

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