The science behind aquaculture’s natural health products

Nutraceutical products are playing an increasingly significant role in human healthcare. However, unlocking the health benefits from natural food sources starts with scientific discovery.

Alexander Tups is a Neuroscientist, and Associate Professor in the Department of Physiology and the Centre for Neuroendocrinology at University of Otago.

Alex caught the attention of Ben Winters, a director of the aquaculture business, Aroma New Zealand through his research, development and patent of Dahlia4 (DE-BIS276®), the world’s first research-backed dahlia extract used to support normal blood sugar balance.

To prove consistent bioactivity of the dahlia product Alex developed tests with zebrafish and Ben wanted to expand this process to New Zealand Greenshell™ mussels.  This ultimately led to the establishment of the Zealife Institute in 2025 as a joint initiative led by Aroma New Zealand, with Ben Winters and Alex as Directors.

With his expertise in biomedical research, Alex oversees the scientific team at the Zealife Institute.

“Zealife Institute is a testing facility for natural health products— it could be from aquaculture or anything that has a health claim,” Alex says. It could also help to assess the environmental toxicity of a substance in freshwater species.

The institute uses zebrafish in their research, which Alex explains are one of the best species to use when it comes to modelling.

“Zebrafish are ideal as they have 70 percent genetic similarity to humans, and they have similar organs, immune and nervous systems.”

“Which means if something affects zebrafish, there’s a high chance it also affects humans.”

He says bioactivity testing using an intact animal model ‘derisks product development in the natural product space’.

“So, for instance, because we can see inflammation in the fish, we can test the anti-inflammatory properties of New Zealand Greenshell™ mussels,” says Alex.

“For example, from this research we can determine the most effective formulation of New Zealand Greenshell™ mussel oil and powder products to use in the clinical trials.”

The research at Zealife Institute has exciting prospects for the nutraceutical industry and the treatment of diseases.

Professor Tups will be speaking at the 2026  Aquaculture New Zealand conference in Nelson 14-15 October about the development of the Zealife Institute and the clinical trials they are conducting.