BIOTEK2021-Bioteknologi for verdiskaping

Utilization of residual raw material (RRM) from the seafood industry and the harvesting of new species, such as sugar kelp (Saccharina Latissima) has increased attention within the food industry. Improved methods for handling RRMs from seafood to be used as foodstuff, provide new product opportunities within functional foods or superfood regime, as an additive to foods, oils and others. The same applies to the processing of different species of wild or cultivated kelp and seaweed species. According to The United Nations approximately 2.3 billion human beings are living without enough, and safe and nutritious food (www.fn.no) in 2021. Sustainability goal no. 3 has targeted to eradicate hunger and achieve food security, better nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture within 2030, but the numbers point the wrong way. Better utilization of bioresources together with an energy efficient processing is essential with a growing population. SuMaFood (Sustainable preservation of marine biomasses for an enhanced food value chain) is a transnational project with the purpose to show the opportunities for utilizing marine biomasses and residual marine products and make them popular among the consumers. Improved solutions for processing, including dewatering and drying, cooling, freezing and separation are investigated, with the purpose of increasing the use of RRMs and marine biomasses in the growing aqua culture industry. Energy efficient production will, in addition, be an important factor to reduce CO2 emissions and increase the sustainability within the blue bioeconomy value chain. The project investigates different method of processing, comparing with product quality, analyses of nutrients and sensory assessments of ready to eat products containing powder from seaweed or fish protein hydrolysate (FPH). Dried seaweed powder was included in bread, snack and pasta in different quantity and sensory analyses show acceptance of additive. The samples with seaweed have an average of 14.5% protein, 0.7% total fat content, 6.4% fiber and 21.7 g/100g product of sodium chloride. Hydrolysate from cod is dried and added to snacks, and sensory analyses is carried out. The products were defined as average salty, with good color and acceptable when the content of powder from FPH from cod was 6 %. Optimization of filtration methods and separation of hydrolysate has been carried out and the manual is ready. Further work will focus on different drying methods and setup for optimizing the dried product quality. Fish and other seafood constitute the commodity group with the second largest food losses and waste at about 35%. Residuals from fisheries and aquaculture was ca 1 million tons in 2020, and 85% is utilized to other products than food. Increased utilization for food is important due to the amount of essential vitamins, proteins and omega-3 fatty-acids, which is good for the human health. Macroalgae are primary producers and contains essential nutrients such as proteins, long-chained omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, carbohydrates, antioxidants, pigments and minerals. In general, seaweeds are regarded as environmentally friendly food that is rich in nutrients which benefits the health. The SuMaFood consortium consist of 3 industry partners, 3 universities and one research institute from Greece, Norway, Romania and Spain. The partners have complementary competence well suited for developing novel processing and products and value creation within the marine aquaculture industry.

SuMaFood is a 7-way transnational partnership between 3 industrial partners, 3 universities, and 1 R&D research institute from Greece, Norway, Romania, and Spain, respectively. In addition, the project Consortium has four associated partners that will contribute with biomass to the project and through their involvement in an External Industry Advisory Board. SuMaFood will be coordinated by SINTEF Energy Research (Norway). The project addresses innovative utilization of marine biomasses and by-products and will demonstrate how such resources can be made available and attractive to the consumers, thus adding value to the biomass food chain. Two demo cases at TRL 6, one for a salmon slaughter plant and another for seaweed, will be established to demonstrate waste reduction, extend product ranges, enhance product quality and stability, and to provide unique products in a growing marine food chain. The main objective of SuMaFood is to develop and demonstrate eco-innovative preservation solutions for marine biomasses. The target products are marine biomass powders that can be used as food (including re-structured and health nutrition products), ingredients, or feed. The project addresses techniques for separation and fractioning of fish residues and preservation techniques of marine biomasses in terms of energy efficiency, product quality and stability, and shelf-life prolongation. Three novel drying technologies will be applied to marine biomasses in the project and compared for cost efficiency and product quality. The project reaches out to downstream stages of the blue biomass value chain by investigating novel techniques of active packing and formulation using antioxidants; preservation methods tailored to prolong shelf-lives and promote enhanced consumer acceptance. By demonstration of enhanced utilization of marine biomasses, SuMaFood will contribute to valuable growth an increased sustainability in European blue bioeconomy value chains.