Innovafeed has reported a scientific milestone, with new trials confirming its BSFL-derived palatant delivers a 7.56% increase in shrimp feed intake, matching the performance of squid meal.
Innovafeed has released a new white paper, developed in collaboration with SPAROS, a leading European R&D center in aquaculture nutrition, with experimental trials conducted by RIASEARCH, on shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) palatability and performance.
Reduced feed intake is commonly associated with shrimp diets high in plant protein. To alleviate this, certain marine ingredients such as squid, fish, or krill are included in formulations as attractants and palatants, but they are prone to unstable supply and price volatility.
This study evaluated how Innovafeed’s BSFL-derived palatant (Hilucia™) could be integrated into shrimp diets as an alternative, and found that it was a powerful feed effector.
According to the white paper, the BSFL-derived palatant displays a strong phago-stimulatory effect, increasing relative feed intake by 7.56% compared to the control feed, demonstrating a palatant or attractant effect comparable to that of squid meal.
Dr. Jorge Dias, General Manager at SPAROS, said: “Shrimp fed diets with the BSF-derived palatant showed improved appetite, confirming its value as a natural, sustainable solution for boosting feed attractiveness and performance.”
The key findings of the study are summarized as follows:
• A 7.56% increase in feed intake with 3% BSF-derived palatant vs. the negative control
• Palatability performance equivalent to 3% squid meal, a market benchmark
• Feed Conversion Ratio maintained, indicating strong growth potential at farm scale
According to Innovafeed, these results add to a growing body of evidence that insect-based ingredients are not only sustainable, they are performance-driven solutions for modern aquaculture.
