Trout fed insect and algal oil launched in France

FARMED trout fed with insect meal and algal oil is to go on sale in a French supermarket from next month.

The fish, produced by Truite Service and to be stocked by retailer Auchan, are being reared on a diet formulated by Skretting that includes insect feed from French pioneer InnovaFeed and algal oil from Veramaris.

The announcement, at the Paris International Agricultural Show, comes days after Veramaris fed salmon was launched by German supermarket Kaufland.

And it follows another recent collaboration between Veramaris and Skretting involving the sale of sustainably raised trout in Supermarché Match.

The latest partnership with Auchan, one of the world’s largest retailers, marks the first time the entire value chain has come together, combining farming, feed efficiency and alternative ingredients, said the companies in a press release.

The Skretting diet replaces forage fish with insect meal and fish trimmings, as well as incorporating the novel algal oil.

Olivier Vandebeulque, head of Seafood Category at Auchan, said: ‘At Auchan, we believe in sustainable seafood. We are encouraged to see a shift in the value chain pioneered by Veramaris and Skretting and believe that our customers will see the value.

‘Trout is just the first step for us, and we look forward to extending our collaborative value chain approach to further species such as shrimp, salmon, bream and bass.’

Elodie Petit, marketing manager at Skretting France, said: ‘The decision by Auchan to introduce trout fed on our unique and technologically advanced diet is a real testament to the quality of the product.

‘We know that French consumers don’t want to compromise and demand their seafood to be as tasty as it is nutritious and sustainable, which has been proven by the 12 per cent category growth at Supermarché Match following their launch of algal-fed salmon.’

Gaëlle Husser, global business development director at Veramaris, said: ‘Veramaris’ algal oil may be a small part of aqua diets, yet it has a major impact on the nutritional value and environmental profile of farmed fish.

‘With the well-known benefits of eating a diet rich in omega-3, our algal oil enables fish producers to raise the levels of both EPA and DHA omega-3 with no additional contribution from wild forage fish.

‘Working closely with feed producer Skretting, we are playing a small yet important part in making sustainably nutritious trout and salmon available to consumers.’