High-quality and sustainable fish feed production

PROJECT IS COMPLETED
Period: 2014 -2018

This project aims to improve the extrusion process to optimise the use of raw materials and the quality of fish feed

Globally, aquaculture is the fastest-growing food-producing sector, and hence there is an increasing need for fish feed. Fish require a specific ratio of digestible protein to grow, but proteins are among the most challenging raw material in feed production due to strong competition with livestock production and the human food industry. An imbalanced protein intake leads to increased amino acid catabolism, i.e. the loss of the most valuable nutrient ingredient, and an increased load of nitrogen compounds to the environment.

The production of high-quality nutrient-dense fish feed requires extrusion of the ingredients into the feed. The extrusion process can, however, alter and deteriorate the nutritional quality of the proteins. Currently, the extrusion process is based entirely on empirical learning. Knowledge of the chemical reactions and physical processes that happen inside an extruder is limited.

The hypothesis is that there is a link between extrusion-induced protein changes at the molecular level and nutritional responses and fish growth.

 

 

 

 

 

ExiPRo has received 4 year funding from the Danish Council for Strategic Research. However, the council has been closed down and strategic research is now a part of Innovation Fund Denmark.

Funding: DKK 6,860,000
Project: 
New Physicochemical and Technological Approach for High Quality and Sustainable Fish Feed Production – ExiPRo
Period: 
1st of September 2014 - 28th of February 2018

Contact

Picture of Vibeke OrlienVibeke Orlien
Associate Professor
Design and Consumer Behavior