Aker BioMarine's 10-year wait to sell Qrill in the US is over. Photo: Aker BioMarine.

Krill products get green light for US salmonid use

Krill harvester Aker BioMarine has received approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the use of its QRILL Aqua and QRILL High Protein (QHP) products in freshwater and marine salmonids.

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The approval process has taken 10 years because the krill products contain astaxanthin, a natural source of red colour that can enhance the colour of salmon flesh and that the FDA classes as a colour additive.

Aker BioMarine said the approval of products under this classification is very thorough and krill meal as an ingredient in fish feeds has been subjected to extensive evaluation by the FDA during the approval process.

A long wait

“We have been waiting for this approval for a long time and are very excited to see this come to life,” said Sigve Nordrum, executive vice president animal health and nutrition for Aker BioMarine in a press release.

“We serve the aquaculture industry across the globe and now we are excited to do the same in North America. For years, feed companies and fish farmers in this region were well aware of the benefits of krill for fish feeds and salmon, therefore they have been demanding these products for their North American operations. We look forward to working with our customers in this market to support the production of high quality, sustainable and healthy fish.”