Hydrolysate producers split prize for best alternative to krill in fish feed
Companies from Brazil and Germany have jointly been awarded the top prize in a contest to find the best alternatives to krill in aquaculture feed.
BRF Ingredients and Symrise were each awarded US $50,000 by the F3 - Future of Fish Feed initiative for winning its F3 Krill Replacement Challenge. F3 says overfishing, climate change, and industrial harvesting have strained krill stocks, threatening their role as a key food source for many marine species. It says more sustainable alternatives are essential to reduce reliance on krill, protect ocean biodiversity, and ensure the future of aquaculture without further depleting ocean resources.
BRF Ingredients is an interdependent business unit of Brazil-based poultry and swine processing giant BRF, which employs more than 100,000 people worldwide and owns more than 50 factories in eight countries, including the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. It won the F3 prize for its chicken hydrolysed protein, produced through the enzymatic hydrolysis process of chicken raw material proteins (offal, giblets and chicken meat).
Germany-based Symrise is a global supplier of fragrances, flavours, and ingredients for food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. It won the F3 prize for its protein hydrolysate ingredients that support plant-based protein solutions for aquaculture, improving feed performance and sustainability.
Superior growth
The two companies’ products emerged as the top performing krill replacements in a 12-week feed trial on Atlantic salmon, demonstrating superior growth, feed consumption, and survival rates. The two winners were chosen from a pool of 10 finalists, who were themselves selected from 40 global companies that entered the F3 Challenge to test their krill meal alternatives.
“The F3 Krill Replacement Challenge has highlighted the incredible innovation and potential within the aquaculture industry, demonstrating that there are multiple solutions to replace krill,” said Kevin Fitzsimmons, chair of the F3 - Future of Fish Feed Initiative and professor and director of international initiatives at the University of Arizona. “These alternatives will help protect our oceans while ensuring the continued growth of aquaculture."
Skills and talent
Marcel Sacco, vice president of marketing and new channels at BRF Ingredients, said: “This recognition reinforces our commitment to feed the world with sustainable, high quality and global standard ingredients. We congratulate all participants while celebrating our hydrolysed products team’s technical skills and talent."
Vincent Percier, marketing director at Symrise Aqua Feed, said: “As a firm believer in the immense potential of byproduct valorisation, I see this award as a testament to our ability to develop natural ingredients from circularly sourced raw materials.
“This innovation enables us to replace wild and endangered species like krill in feed formulations, contributing to a more sustainable global food production footprint.”
Honourable mentions
The shared prize was awarded last Friday during the opening plenary session of the World Aquaculture Society’s Aquaculture 2025 Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana.
In addition to the winners, the F3 judges awarded honourable mentions to three companies for their exceptional performance as promising krill replacements: China-based Calysseo (single-cell protein), Netherlands-based Orffa Additives (amino-acid extract) and France-based Phileo by Lesaffre (yeast extract).
The F3 – Future of Fish Feed initiative will announce its next competition, focused on whole fish farm production, this summer.
