Skretting has introduced phytocomplexes into its health feed products for Norwegian salmon, marking the first commercial use of the plant-based ingredient combinations in the country’s salmon farming sector.
The feed manufacturer said the initiative is aimed at helping fish cope with chronic inflammation, an issue that has become an increasing challenge for Norwegian salmon producers in recent years and has been linked to reduced robustness and higher mortality.
Unlike feed additives based on isolated compounds, phytocomplexes combine multiple bioactive substances derived from plants. Skretting said the approach is designed to influence several biological processes simultaneously by utilising interactions between different plant components.
The development work was carried out in collaboration with Nutreco Exploration, which focuses on identifying and standardising plant-based ingredients for use in animal nutrition.
According to Skretting, controlled trials have shown reductions in the expression of genes associated with inflammation, alongside lower mortality rates. The company said the next step is to gather commercial experience and further document performance under production conditions.
Margunn Sandstad, fish health manager at Skretting Norway, said the industry needs additional tools to improve fish robustness as biological challenges become more complex.
The company said the launch is particularly focused on supporting fish exposed to chronic inflammatory conditions, which can affect stress tolerance, welfare and production performance over time.
Skretting is introducing the technology through its Necto health feed range, which is marketed as supporting fish robustness during periods of biological stress, handling and disease pressure.
The company described the commercial launch as the beginning of a broader programme to develop additional phytocomplex-based products for the aquaculture sector.
Inflammation, fish welfare and biological performance have become increasingly important areas of focus for salmon farmers as the industry seeks to reduce mortality and improve production outcomes
