Environmentally benign feed innovation protects salmon against pathogens without antibiotics
As the global aquaculture industry expanded, the use of antibiotics emerged as both a lifeline and a looming threat. While instrumental in curbing diseases that plague aquatic populations, it’s also raised concerns about antibiotic resistance, environmental impact and the long-term sustainability of a vital food-production sector.
Chile-based AQUIT Corporation may have a solution. By using a key protein that naturally occurs within fish to activate a salmon’s immunity, the biotech startup has created a new tool for the salmon industry to control infections that harm fish and lower yield. The company’s dietary supplement helps prevent disease without causing the inflammatory reaction that other immunostimulants do. For this promising advancement, AQUIT has been named a finalist for the 2023 Responsible Seafood Innovation Award in the aquaculture category.
According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, the overuse of antibiotics contributes to the spread of microbes that are resistant to these drugs. Researchers have found links between global warming, antimicrobial resistance and aquaculture, stating there’s an urgent need to find sustainable solutions that minimize antibiotic use.
“We’re trying to solve this problem in a way that improves animal welfare and also in a way that its production is sustainable,” CEO Daniela Allerbon told the Advocate. “We’re honored and thrilled to be considered for the Innovation Award.”
The company’s solution is the result of more than a decade of research and development that culminated in the identification and industrial scale production of a key protein. When added as a supplement in feed, the protein boosts the natural immunity of fish through an increase in antimicrobial peptides. If the protein within the feed is not eaten, it biodegrades, Allerbon said. If a fish eats more protein than is needed, mechanisms within the fish kick in, naturally regulating the protein and keeping it from causing a problem. Thus, the supplement can be orally administered as part of a normal feeding cycle and is environmentally friendly.
Unlike other immune boosters, AQUIT’s product doesn’t cause an inflammatory response, which classically is characterized by heat, pain, color changes, swelling and loss of function. Inflammation can result in slower growth. Because the protein naturally occurs in salmon, its introduction into a fish doesn’t trigger inflammation.
AQUIT will produce the protein on an industrial scale using gene-engineered microorganisms. The company will grow these microbes in bioreactors and use these to create the supplement.