Norway: Seaweed may improve fish health and milk production

“Seaweed farming is on the rise in Norway. While seaweed products are primarily intended for the human food sector, expanding the product range into animal feed could increase profitability,” Margareth Øverland, Professor at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) and Director of Foods of Norway, told dairyreporter.com. Øverland and her team are investigating the use of bioactive compounds from brown seaweed, particularly sugar seaweed (Saccharina latissima) and all biomass, in animal diets. The seaweed used in the studies was supplied by Seaweed Solutions, a company based in Frøya near Trondheim, Norway. The importance of bioactive compoundsØverland and her team evaluated two important bioactive compounds, fucoidan and laminarin, which have health benefits such as immune support, antiviral, antibacterial and antioxidant effects. “Laminarin, a type of beta-glucan, has a unique structure that stimulates the immune system and activates immune responses. Fucoidan, on the ...