AquaFood has a patent-pending method for extracting high-value, food-grade components at cold temperatures from the side streams of fish production (e.g. heads, backbone, scales, etc.). The components we extract are; pure fish oil that fits as a supplement, a unique protein mass with high functionality (almost minced meat consistency) that fits perfectly for fish balls, fish burgers, or even tubed fish spread, and lastly, we extract a fine collagen powder that fits for dermatological applications.
Today, the side streams of fish production account for 40-70% of the fish that is brought into the processing plants. This is a remarkably higher amount than any other food-producing industry. At the same time, the food production system worldwide accounts for 1/3 of green-house gas emissions, 1/3 of land usage, and 2/3 of groundwater withdrawal. The seafood industry has problems of their own, where 95% of our fish stocks are fully utilized and about 30% have already collapsed. There simply is not way for us to increase or even continue to produce the way that we are in a sustainable way. But we still need to increase food production as the globally increasing population will demand a doubling of protein production in the year 2050 compared to now.
AquaFood believes that resource efficiency is a huge stepping stone toward reaching a sustainable food production system. A system where we use our resources efficiently and to their full potential is what needs to happen to step into a sustainable future.
In our process, we can make sure that the FULL fish is used to its full potential. Through our process, we use no heating steps and the only effluents from our process are the water that we introduce to the system mixed with a small amount of protein. Therefore, our process is highly efficient, sustainable in terms of lower energy and water consumption but also in terms of the resource efficiency that it brings.
Our technology is research-based and stems from decades of research in the area of utilization of aquatic biomasses.