Blue Biorefining: a holistic solution for increasing resource efficiency in seafood industry (BlueBio)

Purpose and goal

Global seafood supply chains suffer harshly from inefficiency as up to 70% of the landed aquatic resource weight end up as by-products, mostly going to feed or waste. BlueBio targets the large flow of underutilized aquatic resources and aims to develop and demonstrate a blue biorefinery platform in pilot scale to upcycle seafood by-products and small pelagics into multiple high value products e.g. proteins, fish oils, marine collagens and chitin as a holistic approach for increasing resource efficiency in seafood chain.

Expected results and effects

The project results will: - promote resource efficiency in the seafood value chain by upcycling small pelagics and by-products into food rather than to feed. - develop a new technology for biorefining of underutilized aquatic resources into multiple new products which increases resilience within the seafood value chains. - stimulate a circular economy and increase the symbiosis between actors of the seafood processing chain which today are not connected. - take the project results forward for utilization by the seafood industry both inside and outside of Sweden.

Planned approach and implementation

Within the frame of a pilot trial in a food grade environment to develop a multiple product blue biorefinery platform based on the pH-shift technology. This will be done in collaboration with need owners and with a contribution from world-leading technology suppliers. The trial will provide a clear understanding of technological requirements for industrial implementation of the process. The project will also cover its economic viability, energy demand and consumer acceptance of model products formulated from different fractions derived in large scale from by-products.