Buffodine is a buffered iodine disinfectant specifically developed for the disinfection of newly stripped and eyed non-hardened fish eggs. It is notably effective against Viral Haemorrhagic Septicaemia (VHS), Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis (IPN), and Infectious Salmon Anaemia (ISA) fish viruses without damaging the eggs.
Buffodine is the only authorised fish egg disinfectant in Europe. Evans Vanodine has invested heavily to achieve this status, following a rigorous process involving the submission of highly technical product dossiers to the EU regulators. This ensures that hatcheries across Europe continue to have access to this unique and trusted product.
Developed and patented by Evans Vanodine in the 1970s, Buffodine was the pioneering product in this category. Since its development, this type of disinfectant has become widely used for egg disinfection by producers globally.
The buffered neutral pH of Buffodine ensures that disinfection occurs without harming the delicate fish eggs.
For many years, the fish production industry has relied on chemical disinfectants at the hatchery stage. The primary objective of Buffodine is to enhance hatchability by eliminating disease-causing microorganisms on the outer coating of the egg without damaging the egg itself.
Using disinfectants for fish eggs presents a significant challenge because all disinfectants are inherently designed to kill living cells. Unlike medicinal treatments, which are targeted, disinfectants have general modes of action and cannot specifically focus on problem-causing viruses or bacteria. Many disinfectants are designed to kill highly resilient organisms, which can often result in environmental harm.
The selection of the correct disinfectant active material in aquaculture, as well as the formulation of the product, is crucial. This careful selection helps to avoid high mortality rates and poor biodegradability, which can be consequences of inappropriate disinfectant use. Many alternative ingredients such as malachite green are banned due to carcinogenic properties and may not be used.
Buffodine addresses these challenges effectively by providing a balanced solution that disinfects without harming the eggs, thereby supporting healthy hatch rates and environmental sustainability.
