KAUST-Led Study Reveals Major Untapped Nutritional Value in Aquatic Invertebrates

A new international study led by researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) has revealed the significant nutritional value of aquatic invertebrates, including oysters, mussels and crabs, highlighting a largely overlooked contribution to human nutrition. The study was published in Nature and provides one of the most comprehensive assessments to date of the nutritional contribution of aquatic invertebrates.

The researchers analyzed 30 essential nutrients and found that current global production of aquatic invertebrates contains enough vitamin B12 and selenium to meet the equivalent annual requirements of more than five billion people.

The same production also provides amounts of iodine, zinc, copper and omega-3 fatty acids equivalent to the annual requirements of more than one billion people.

Measuring Food Systems by Nutrients, Not Just Tonnage

Aquatic food systems have traditionally been assessed largely according to the amount of food they produce.

The KAUST-led research argues that this approach overlooks another critical dimension: the nutrients that food provides to people.

The findings suggest that incorporating nutritional value into fisheries and aquaculture planning could provide a more complete assessment of the contribution of aquatic foods to society.

Lead author Jessica Zamborain-Mason, assistant professor of marine science at KAUST, said aquatic food systems have long been measured by production volumes rather than the nutrients they deliver, while the research shows that aquatic invertebrates make a much greater nutritional contribution than many people realize.

This approach could become increasingly important as governments seek to address food security, climate pressures and the sustainable management of natural resources.

Predictive Models Cover More Than 50,000 Potentially Edible Species

The researchers compiled nutritional information from hundreds of aquatic invertebrate species and developed predictive models to estimate nutrient content across more than 50,000 species potentially suitable for human consumption.

The resulting dataset provides a broader framework for incorporating nutrition into environmental and socioeconomic assessments of aquatic food systems.

The nutrient estimates are also expected to be integrated into SeaLifeBase, one of the world’s largest online databases of marine species, giving researchers and policymakers wider access to information on the nutritional value of aquatic foods.

Nutritional Contributions Outpace Production Weight

One of the study’s key findings is that aquatic invertebrates can provide disproportionately high levels of important micronutrients relative to their share of total production.

In aquaculture, invertebrates account for roughly one-third of production by weight, yet they provide more than half of the supply of certain nutrients, including iodine, vitamin B12, vitamin C and iron.

The findings highlight the importance of considering nutritional diversity when developing aquaculture and fisheries policies, rather than focusing exclusively on production volumes.

Processing Can Affect Nutritional Concentration

The study also found that the nutritional profile of aquatic foods can vary according to how they are processed.

In many cases, 100 grams of dried aquatic invertebrates can contain higher concentrations of minerals than the same weight of raw tissue because water is removed during drying.

This could create opportunities for developing products that make better use of the nutritional content of aquatic resources while potentially reducing food waste.

However, the nutritional value of any product still depends on the species, processing method and other ingredients involved.

A Call for Protection, Not More Exploitation

Despite the scale of the nutritional potential identified by the research, the authors emphasize that the findings are not a call to increase fishing pressure or expand uncontrolled exploitation of marine species.

Instead, they provide a stronger evidence base for considering nutrition alongside sustainability when managing fisheries and aquaculture.

Many aquatic invertebrate species remain data-poor, while the sustainability of numerous species has yet to be adequately assessed. The researchers therefore stress the importance of better protection, monitoring and assessment before expanding reliance on these resources.

KAUST Connects Marine Science With Food Security

The research forms part of a broader body of work at KAUST examining the relationship between marine ecosystems, sustainable fisheries and human nutrition.

Zamborain-Mason’s research focuses on sustainable reef fisheries and aquatic food systems, using data-driven approaches to understand how marine resources can support food security while maintaining ecosystem health.

This approach reflects a broader shift in how aquatic resources are being viewed—not simply as sources of production, but as interconnected components of nutrition, health, environmental sustainability and economic resilience.

A New Framework for the Future of Aquatic Food Systems

The study ultimately raises an important question for policymakers: should the success of an aquatic food system be measured only by how much food it produces, or also by the nutrients it delivers?

The researchers hope their findings will help governments, industry and international organizations integrate nutritional considerations more fully into fisheries and aquaculture policies, while also identifying areas where additional research and nutritional data are urgently needed.

As countries work to build more resilient food systems amid growing environmental and nutritional pressures, the research suggests that the future of sustainable food policy may depend not only on how much food we produce, but also on how much nutrition that food provides—and how responsibly the resources behind it are managed.