Exploring sunflower seed meal: What it brings to aquafeeds

As the fourth most-produced oilseed meal globally, sunflower seed meal offers a strong balance of nutritional quality, affordability, and sustainability that supports the evolving needs of fish and shrimp producers.

Produced as a by-product of sunflower oil extraction mainly from crops grown in Argentina and Europe, it provides a robust nutrient profile, including:


Protein levels ranging from 14% to 50%, depending on dehulling
High digestibility, outperforming many other vegetable proteins
Healthy fats for added dietary energy
Vitamins E, B1, and B6
• Natural antioxidant compounds
• Essential minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and zinc

Because sunflower meals are highly digestible, more of the nutrients are absorbed rather than lost as waste, supporting better feed efficiency and contributing to cleaner production systems

Beyond nutrition, sunflower seed meal brings several practical benefits to feed production and fish performance:
• Supports gut health at moderate inclusion levels
• Improves pellet stability due to its natural fiber content
• Provides antioxidant activity from phenolic compounds
• Delivers strong mineral density thanks to deep-rooted sunflower plants

Consistency is another key strength. As an oil-extraction by-product, sunflower meals have a predictable composition and are easy to incorporate into balanced diets. Its favorable amino-acid profile especially its relatively high methionine compared to other plant proteins, makes it a useful complement in plant-forward formulations.

Sunflower meals also contribute to more sustainable aquaculture. It reduces reliance on marine ingredients, has a low carbon footprint compared to animal-based proteins, and repurposes a by-product that would otherwise have limited applications. Sunflower crops can also be grown within regenerative systems that improve soil health, biodiversity, and reduce chemical use.

Our integrated traceability process ensures full visibility across the entire chain, covering the growing regions and agricultural conditions, the oil-extraction procedures, all transportation and storage steps, and the final feed manufacturing and batch usage.

Sunflower seed meals are widely available on the global market and benefits from stable production volumes, making it a dependable, low-volatility ingredient for feed manufacturers.

Resultater (33)

    Spiselig andel af laks

    Slagteklare laks blev analyseret for at bestemme den spiselige del. Resultatet viste, at hele 74 procent af laksen bestod af rent fiskekød.

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    Winter nutrition that keeps your trout growing

    Specialized BioMar feeds designed for performance, resilience, and efficiency in cold-water conditions Winter brings real challenges for trout farmers. As temperatures drop, metabolism slows, appetite declines, and maintaining growth can feel like an uphill battle. BioMar’s winter feeds are developed to keep your fish progressing through the toughest months delivering reliable intake, efficient conversion, and strong resilience all winter long.

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    Wheat Gluten: A reliable protein and binder for fish feed

    Wheat gluten is a common ingredient in modern aquaculture diets, valued for a combination of nutritional and functional advantages. It isn’t a magic ingredient, but it consistently supports efficient feed production and healthy fish growth. One of its best-known traits is its strong binding ability earning it the occasional nickname “super glue.” This natural binding property allows many feed mills to reduce or even eliminate synthetic binders.

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    Bedre foder resulterer i bedre mad til os alle

    Hos BioMar forstår vi, at rejsen til enestående fisk og rejer begynder længe før, den når bordet, og den starter med det foder, der giver næring til fisk og rejer.

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    The jet platform – efficient and simple oxygen enrichment

    The oxygen content of the water is often the most prominent limiting factor in intensive fish farming. It is a well-known fact that poor oxygen content means that it is not possible to utilise the full potential of both the fish and the feed. A jet platform is an example of an efficient and yet simple mechanical method for oxygen enrichment of water.

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    Creating the perfect pink fish fillet: The strategy behind pigmentation

    At the BioMar factory in Denmark, we assist salmon and trout farmers with tailored solutions, backed by our technical expert team, BioFarm. These advisors are dedicated to sharing knowledge on pigmentation strategies, helping our partners achieve top-quality fish fillets.

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    Mindre er mere

    Fiskeopdrættere kan opnå bedre resultater ved at bruge mindre foder

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    Inicio Plus demonstrerer enestående vækst og ensartethed i forsøget med ørredfoder.

    I et nyligt ørred foderforsøg med yngel beviste Inicio Plus endnu en gang sin styrke ved at opnå hurtigere vækst og mere ensartet yngel end konkurrerende startfoder. Den bedste visuelle vandkvalitet blev observeret med BioMar-foderet, hvilket afspejler dets positive indvirkning ud over vækstpræstationen.

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    AlgaPrime: Unexpected Algae Heroes

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    How to secure an appropriate oxygen supply?

    In fish farming, being attentive to oxygen levels and implementing oxygenation are important prerequisites for maintaining economic growth rates.

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    Spring syndrome - Rapid rise in temperature can be challenging for trout

    After a harsh winter with low water temperatures, the approach of spring may be accompanied by a rapid rise in temperature, especially in some areas such as northern Europe. This period can be challenging and risky for the fish, especially if the feeding strategy is not adapted to these circumstances.

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    Trials: The essential tool for choosing the right feed

    Selecting the right feed is critical for achieving production goals on a fish farm. Conducting feed trials directly on the farm is the most effective way to identify the best option. BioMar helps guide this process.

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