During the European Aquaculture Society (EAS) Annual Conference 2025, HealthTech Bio Actives (HTBA) officially launched Sugarex Aqua, its innovative feed intake enhancer for fish, attracting strong attention from aquaculture professionals, researchers, and industry stakeholders. The product, a proprietary formulation based on Neohesperidin Dihydrochalcone (NHDC) with enhanced solubility and sensory properties, is designed to improve feed palatability, stimulate intake, and enhance growth performance in farmed fish species.
Strong interest in science-backed innovation in the scientific program
HTBA’s scientific contribution, presented in collaboration with AquaBioTech Group, was the oral communication: “Use of Sugarex Aqua to mitigate negative impacts of low-palatability and medicated feeds in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).”
- The study garnered substantial interest among attendees due to its demonstration that Sugarex Aqua can: Boost feed intake under low-palatability and medicated diet conditions.
- Improve growth performance, with up to 34% higher specific growth rates compared to unsupplemented diets.
- Enhance feed efficiency, with feed conversion ratios reduced by up to 11.7%.
- Maintain feeding behavior and survival rates, even under dietary stress.
These findings highlight the product’s role as a practical, science-driven solution for sustainable aquaculture, particularly valuable when feed formulations change or when medicated diets are required.
Engagement at the Congress
Throughout the event, HTBA representatives received excellent attendance, with visitors eager to learn more about the new product and the company’s broader portfolio of natural feed solutions. The launch was widely welcomed as a timely innovation to address current challenges in aquaculture nutrition and productivity.
““We are satisfied by the interest that Sugarex Aqua has generated here in Valencia. The feedback from researchers, feed producers, and farmers confirms that our solution addresses needs in the sector — improving fish performance while supporting sustainability and animal welfare,” said Mar Serra, Animal Nutrition Solutions Division Manager at HTBA.
