A diet supplement used by humans for its anti-ageing benefits could help salmon improve their immune systems.
Trials of adding spermidine – a compound found in vegetables, cereals and soy – to fish feed will begin next month in a project run by the University of Edinburgh’s Roslin Institute.
“Just like humans, as fish get older and grow to their full size, their systems slow down and become weaker,” explained Kanchan Phadwal, research fellow at the Roslin Institute.
“Fatty acids are essential for nutrition and disease resistance but retrieval from their storage in fat tissue can be difficult, particularly when derived from plant-based oils and as fish age.”
Supplementing feeds with spermidine could maintain the salmon’s immune response and natural ability to fight virus-induced diseases, say researchers.
The supplement, which is sold as an anti-ageing ingredient for people, will help to break down stored fats, giving the fish more energy and helping to maintain the balance between omega-3 and omega-6, which is important for anti-inflammatory processes.
“The spermidine supplement we are planning to use will give fish a helping hand to extract the healthy fats, regulating the immune response and boosting health and wellbeing overall,” said Phadwal.
“It is already delivering great results for humans, and we anticipate it will have a similar impact for aquaculture.”
Heather Jones, chief executive of Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre which is supporting the research, said sustainability must be balanced with effective recipes for fish health. “This research is a great example of thinking differently,” she said, “applying the ‘one health’ approach whereby efforts are made to transfer knowledge about the health and wellbeing of one species – in this case, humans – to another, salmon.”
