Aquatic invertebrates underpin global nutrition

Aquatic invertebrates including oysters, mussels and crabs could play a much greater role in global nutrition than previously recognised, according to research led by scientists at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST).

Published in Nature, the study assessed 30 nutrients essential to human health and examined the nutritional contribution of aquatic invertebrates across fisheries and aquaculture. Researchers found that current global production contains enough vitamin B12 and selenium to meet the equivalent annual requirements of more than five billion people.

“For far too long, we have measured success of aquatic food systems in tonnes of production, rather than in the nutrients they deliver to people,” said Jessica Zamborain-Mason, lead author and assistant professor of Marine Science at KAUST.

The analysis also found that existing invertebrate production supplies sufficient iodine, zinc, copper and omega-3 fatty acids to meet the annual requirements of more than one billion people. In aquaculture, invertebrates account for around one-third of production by weight but provide more than half of the supply of several nutrients, including iodine, vitamin B12, vitamin C and iron.

Researchers compiled nutritional data from hundreds of aquatic invertebrate species and developed predictive models covering more than 50,000 potentially edible species. The resulting dataset is intended to support greater consideration of nutritional value when decisions are made on fisheries, aquaculture and wider food-system planning.

The findings also highlight the potential influence of processing. Dried invertebrates can contain higher concentrations of minerals than raw tissue, suggesting opportunities to develop products that maximise nutritional value while reducing waste.

The researchers stressed that the study does not advocate increased harvesting. Instead, it provides evidence for incorporating nutrition alongside environmental sustainability when managing aquatic resources.

“Many aquatic invertebrates around the globe are data-poor or un-assessed in terms of sustainability,” Zamborain-Mason added. “Our work emphasises the need to better protect, monitor and assess these resources.”

The nutrient estimates will also be integrated into SeaLifeBase, expanding access to nutritional information for researchers and policymakers worldwide.