In the bustling world of aquaculture, where the industry is growing faster than a school of tuna on a feeding frenzy, there’s a pressing need to find sustainable and nutritious ingredients for aquafeed. Enter Sílvia Lourenço, a researcher from the Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre at the Polytechnic of Leiria, who’s been diving deep into the potential of fruit and vegetable processing by-products to revolutionize the aquafeed industry. Her work, published in Discover Food, is a treasure trove of insights for maritime professionals looking to make waves in sustainable aquaculture.
Lourenço and her team have been scouring over a hundred peer-reviewed papers to understand the nutritional needs of popular fish species and the potential of fruit and vegetable by-products to meet those needs. The findings? There’s a goldmine of opportunity waiting to be tapped. “The by-products of olive oil and wine production hold high potential to replace fish meal and fish oil in aquafeed,” Lourenço states, highlighting the potential of these by-products to reduce the industry’s reliance on traditional feed sources.
But it’s not just about replacing fishmeal and fish oil. The extracts of seeds and peels from various fruits and vegetables can also be used as functional compounds to boost fish welfare. Imagine feeding your fish a diet that not only meets their nutritional needs but also enhances their overall health and resilience. It’s a win-win for both the fish and the industry.
However, turning these by-products into valuable aquafeed ingredients isn’t as simple as tossing them into a blender. Lourenço emphasizes the need for efficient processing methods to enhance their nutritional value, eliminate anti-nutritional substances, and ensure feed safety. Emerging technologies like high-pressure homogenization (HPH) and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) are showing promise in adding value to these by-products. But there are still hurdles to overcome, including variable composition, scalability of technologies, regulations, market acceptance, sustainability, and waste management costs.
For maritime professionals, the opportunities are vast. By embracing these by-products, the aquaculture industry can reduce its environmental footprint, improve fish welfare, and potentially lower feed costs. It’s a step towards a more sustainable and circular economy, where waste is minimized, and resources are optimized.
Lourenço’s work is a call to action for the maritime sector to explore these by-products and integrate them into aquafeed formulations. It’s a chance to make a real difference in the industry’s sustainability journey. So, let’s dive in and make waves in the world of aquafeed!
