Fish Feed Composition with High n-3 Fatty Acids for CMS Mitigation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current treatments for Cardiomyopathy syndrome (CMS) and diseases caused by the Piscine Myocarditis Virus (PMCV) in farmed Atlantic salmon lack effective commercial vaccines, necessitating alternative therapies to manage and prevent these severe cardiac and liver diseases.

Innovation Solution

A feed composition for fish enriched with conventional ingredients such as proteins, lipids, vitamins, and minerals, featuring a high content of n-3 fatty acids, particularly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and a balanced protein-to-lipid ratio, designed to enhance fatty acid profiles and support disease resistance and mitigation of clinical symptoms.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If commercial vaccines are used for CMS prevention, then disease immunity is improved, but vaccine availability and accessibility deteriorate due to lack of commercial products

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisease immunityVSAvoidvaccine availability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses feed as an intermediary delivery vehicle to administer n-3 fatty acids to fish, providing disease prevention benefits without requiring traditional vaccine infrastructure. The feed acts as a mediator that delivers the active protective substance (n-3 fatty acids) directly to the target organism through its normal feeding route.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If n-3 fatty acid content is increased to prevent CMS, then disease resistance is improved, but feed cost increases due to higher lipid requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisease resistanceVSAvoidfeed cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the n-3 fatty acid content parameter within a specific range (20-40% of total fatty acids) to achieve disease prevention benefits while controlling feed costs. This parameter optimization balances the protective effect against CMS with the economic constraint of feed formulation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The feed composition uses composite lipid sources including fish oil, krill oil, and plant oils to provide n-3 fatty acids. This composite approach diversifies the lipid sources, potentially reducing dependency on single expensive sources while maintaining the required n-3 fatty acid profile.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Reliability

If protein content is increased to support disease resistance, then immune function is improved, but energy availability deteriorates due to reduced digestible energy

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimmune functionVSAvoidenergy availability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the protein content within a specific range (40-60% of dry matter) to support immune function while maintaining adequate energy availability. This parameter optimization ensures that protein is not excessively high to the point of reducing overall energy density of the feed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2914124B1Feed composition for fish
Publication Date: 2017.01.25 EWOS INNOVATION
  • EP2914124B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2914124B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2914124B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A feed composition for fish comprising conventional feed ingredients such as proteins, lipids, vitamins, carbohydrates and minerals, and the use of the feed composition as well as to a method for feeding of fish which are susceptible to Cardiomyopathy syndrome (CMS), Hepatic stenosis associated with CMS and/or to diseases caused by the Piscine Myocarditis Virus (PMCV) are described. The feed is characterised by having more than 20% of the fatty acids as (n-3) fatty acids.