Melody
Sep 7th 2008, 11:06 AM
Soy protein appears to be the most popular alternative to fish protein thus far. It is comforting to know that extensive studies are being done, but the long term effects will remain a question mark for quite some time.
A Norwegian study suggests that although one of the key mediators of inflammation is reduced, it doesn't appear to impact the ability to kill the bacteria or reduce inflammation.
In this age of compromised immunity in humans and the creatures they farm, I feel that any negative effect on the immune system's regulators to be a cause for concern. We need more to fight with, not less, whether it appears to effect the abilities of the immune system at first glance or not.
An alternative to the fish meal currently used in feed is soya protein. The results of the work showed that an extract from the soya plant, Glycine tomentella, reduces the level of one of the central chemical messengers in inflammation, none other than TNF-a.
Fish oil is a scarce resource that in fish feed is being replaced by rapeseed oil. Haugland's studies have shown that this replacement leads to significant changes in the fatty acid composition of salmon tissues, but that neither the degree of inflammation nor the bacteria-killing abilities appear to be affected. ~ Norwegian School of Veterinary Science (http://www.veths.no/105/English/Kima/The-inflammatory-responses-of-salmon-may-be-influenced-by-new-types-of-feed/)
What's really scary is that in a highly unregulated fish food industry, 'studies' can be used and abused as the sellers see fit. I can easily see some marketer spouting that a study showed no negative effects on the ability of the immune system to fight inflammation. Not one of them will mention the reduction of chemical messengers, guaranteed.
It's important that we educate ourselves or we'll be victims of hype and carefully selected information, just as we have been in the past when it comes to things like food quality. We can't trust the people who are lining their pockets by using our love of a pet to make us open our wallet. They tell us something is premium, price it high and we say "Oh ok, this is a premium food". We have to do better than that. We need a knowledge base so we can call BS when we see it. If there's one thing we're knee-deep in when it comes to manufactured 'quality' foods, it's BS. We wouldn't feed BS to our fish and we needn't swallow it ourselves just because it comes with big words and a quote from a 'study'. :NoWay:
A Norwegian study suggests that although one of the key mediators of inflammation is reduced, it doesn't appear to impact the ability to kill the bacteria or reduce inflammation.
In this age of compromised immunity in humans and the creatures they farm, I feel that any negative effect on the immune system's regulators to be a cause for concern. We need more to fight with, not less, whether it appears to effect the abilities of the immune system at first glance or not.
An alternative to the fish meal currently used in feed is soya protein. The results of the work showed that an extract from the soya plant, Glycine tomentella, reduces the level of one of the central chemical messengers in inflammation, none other than TNF-a.
Fish oil is a scarce resource that in fish feed is being replaced by rapeseed oil. Haugland's studies have shown that this replacement leads to significant changes in the fatty acid composition of salmon tissues, but that neither the degree of inflammation nor the bacteria-killing abilities appear to be affected. ~ Norwegian School of Veterinary Science (http://www.veths.no/105/English/Kima/The-inflammatory-responses-of-salmon-may-be-influenced-by-new-types-of-feed/)
What's really scary is that in a highly unregulated fish food industry, 'studies' can be used and abused as the sellers see fit. I can easily see some marketer spouting that a study showed no negative effects on the ability of the immune system to fight inflammation. Not one of them will mention the reduction of chemical messengers, guaranteed.
It's important that we educate ourselves or we'll be victims of hype and carefully selected information, just as we have been in the past when it comes to things like food quality. We can't trust the people who are lining their pockets by using our love of a pet to make us open our wallet. They tell us something is premium, price it high and we say "Oh ok, this is a premium food". We have to do better than that. We need a knowledge base so we can call BS when we see it. If there's one thing we're knee-deep in when it comes to manufactured 'quality' foods, it's BS. We wouldn't feed BS to our fish and we needn't swallow it ourselves just because it comes with big words and a quote from a 'study'. :NoWay: