Cambridge scientists have developed a new method of fortifying shellfish with micronutrients to combat nutrient deficiency symptoms. These can be serious in some casescause health problems. The team is now working with major fish producers to further test their encapsulation technology, or so-called “vitamin bullets.”
Over two billion people worldwide suffer from nutrient deficiencies. This often leads to a variety of serious health problems. However, micronutrient fortification of foods is already an industry standard for improving public health. Scientists from the Cambridge Department of Zoology have teamed up with Cambridge-based company BioBullets. So you want to load up on one of the healthiest and most sustainable sources of animal protein. David Aldridge in collaboration with student David Willer created the first microcapsule. He developed these specifically to provide mussels with nutrients. These are beneficial to human health. The “Vitamin Bullets,” patented by Aldridge’s company BioBullets, are tailored for optimal size, shape, buoyancy and appeal to shellfish.
The published study is particularly valuable because when people eat mussels, they consume the entire organism, including the intestines. This means that consumers digest the nutrients that animals have consumed. This makes mussels the ideal target for nutrient enrichment. In their laboratory in Cambridge, the scientists tested microcapsules enriched with vitamin A and vitamin D on over 100 oysters to determine the optimal dose. They also noted that this should be fed for 8 hours toward the end of the period when mussels are held in cleaning tanks after harvest.
Study results
The team found that fortified oysters provided about 100 times more vitamin A and over 150 times more vitamin D than the regular versions. More importantly, they dramatically outperformed salmon, one of the best natural sources of these vitamins. The fortified oysters provided more than 26 times more vitamin A and more than 4 times more vitamin D than salmon. The scientists found that a serving of just two of their supercharged shellfish provided enough vitamins A and D. This can cover the recommended daily dose for a human. Mussels have a higher protein content than beef, are rich inOmega-3 fatty acidsand contain some of the highest levels of important minerals of any animal food. Still, the nutrients they provide naturally are unlikely to resolve nutrient deficiency symptoms.
These shellfish are also very sustainable for agriculture. They have a much smaller ecological footprint than animal meat or fish. What's more, they even cost less than many plant crops such as wheat, soy and rice. However, the researchers point outin the studyindicates that consumers in poorer regions, where vitamin deficiencies are most common, are more likely to buy slightly more expensive fortified foods. Additional purchases must be made for taking supplement pills. They calculate that enrichment increases the cost of producing a single oyster by just $0.0056.
