In a new review article, published in Aquaculture, authored by researchers Kiranpreet Kaur from Aker QRILL Company and Dr. Silvia Torrecillas, with support from the Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA), explores the impact of krill-based ingredients on a range of non salmonid species, including sea bream, seabass, tilapia, and olive flounder.
As aquaculture continues to diversify beyond salmon, this review evaluates how krill meal and krill oil can support fish health and growth even in low fishmeal and fish oil diets.
With growing demand for sustainable seafood and press mounting on wild fish stocks, the aquaculture industry is increasingly seeking efficient and effective feed ingredients that balance performance, cost, and sustainability. Krill has emerged as one such tool.
Dr. Silvia Torrecillas, co-author of the review, said,
“Krill meal offers a unique combination of highly digestible protein, phospholipid-bound omega-3s, and functional compounds like astaxanthin and chitin. This makes it particularly valuable in diets for marine fish that are sensitive to changes in the feed formulation.”
Enhancing feed intake, growth, and feed conversion
The review highlights strong evidence from multiple species showing that krill supplementation consistently improves feed intake, weight gain, and feed conversion ratio (FCR). In some studies, juvenile fish fed krill meal grew up to 30% faster, with FCR improvements of up to 17% compared to control groups. This effect is largely attributed to krill’s palatability and nutrient bioavailability –even at low inclusion levels.
Kiranpreet Kaur, Director R&D Aquaculture at Aker QRILL Company and co-author of the review, said,
“Across many aquaculture species, we see improvements in not just growth but also in protein and lipid effciency ratios, with is critical for feed optimization,”
Functional benefits for gut health and resilience
In addition to performance, krill meal supports gut integrity and liver health, especially under stress or when diets are low in fishmeal or fish oil. The review points to improved gut morphology, reduced hepatic fat accumulation, and stronger mucosal protection, all linked to krill’s phospholipids, omega-3s, and choline content. Several studies also show improved immune responses and stress resilience, including higher survival rates under crowding or pathogen exposure.
Kaur added,
“Krill-based diets are shown to help fish better tolerate stressful environments and support a stronger immune system. This is a major benefit in commercial production settings.”
Maintaining fillet quality and reproductive performance
Fillet composition and nutritional value are naturally important factors for consumers. The review found that krill inclusion helps maintain EPA and DHA levels in fillets ensuring the end product remains a rich source of omega-3s. In broodstock diets, krill also supports better egg quality, hatchability, and larval viability across species such as red sea bream, Nile tilapia, and tongue sole.
A small ingredient with a big impact
As aquaculture continues to grow and diversify, the review concludes that krill meal and krill oil can play a key role in enabling more sustainable, resilient feed formulations for different fish species.
The article, titled “Review: Impact of krill products on the growth, health, and fillet quality of farmed
non-salmonid fish”, was authored by Kiranpreet Kaur and Silvia Torrecillas and is available in Aquaculture, volume 608, 30 September 2025:
