Norway: Scientists advise adding canola oil to salmon feed

Bente Ruyter, a senior scientist at Nofima, has conducted research for years to find out how farmed salmon can increase their omega-3 levels. One such option is modified canola oil. In 2023, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority approved the use of Aquaterra® omega-3 oil from genetically modified canola in salmon feed. Canola is a type of common rapeseed. This canola variety was developed by Australian research organization CSIRO in collaboration with Nuseed and contains high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. “This oil has been extracted,” explained Bente Ruyter. “This means that it is extracted from canola seeds and does not contain genetic material from the plant that has been modified.” “Global fish oil production is stable, but catching more wild fish is not sustainable. Thus, fish oil is becoming less available to the aquaculture industry every year as the industry grows,” says the researcher. In 2000, 30% of salmon feed consisted of fish oil. In 2020, this figure dropped to 10%. ...