Hemp Oil Might Be Better Than Fish Oil For Omega-3s

Over the next 5-10 years, don’t be surprised if fish oil and meal get replaced with hemp. A large-scale study conducted by several researchers from various universities are exploring how hemp might be as good, if not better, than fish oil in terms of nutrients and sustainability.

The project is nicknamed SUSHI, which stands for Sustainable Use of a Safe Hemp Ingredients. It will gather six universities to discover if hemp could be the next cost-effective and sustainable alternative to fish oil and fishmeal in the aquaculture industry.

The study will take five years to conduct and will take roughly $10 million to implement. According to Brandy E. Phipps, Ph.D., project lead and research assistant professor of food, nutrition, and health at Central State University, she hopes the end of the study helps the team assemble the essential materials to gain AAFCO approval.

Phipps told Feed Strategy that when the public thinks about hemp, they often forget about the nutrient density and richness within the plant product. She added that hemp has an outstanding balance of macronutrients, omega-3 heart-healthy fatty acids, and an excellent ratio of omega-6-to-omega-3 fatty acids.”

The project’s first step is to run a digestibility trial. After this, Phipps said the team would design a series of nutritional trials with various formulations to examine fish health and growth over the project’s next four years. The team is planning to create critical questions about the use of hemp in aquaculture feeding products. Phipps said this includes examining whether THC and other cannabinoids like CBD are present in fish raised on food with hemp ingredients.

The team’s goal is to investigate and question the major issues people might be concerned about; this includes environmental sustainability, economic impact, safety, and efficiency. The team is comprised of experts in economics, fish nutrition, hemp production genetics and chemistry, water resources management, and environmental engineering.

Phipps hopes that with a team like this, they will adequately execute their shared goal of helping people get fed in an economically viable way and one that has a minor negative impact on the environment.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will fund the project’s first two years with a generous $4 million grant, but funding for the remaining three years hasn’t been announced. The project will gather researchers from Kentucky State University, University of Delaware, University of Kentucky, Mississippi State University, Central State University, and the College of Menominee Nation.