Health effects of ingredients from residual raw material

Press release

Background

Large amounts of fish and side streams from fisheries and aquaculture are wasted or used in animal feeds in Europe.

These raw materials represent a nutrient rich biomass rich in proteins, bioactive peptides, LCω-3PUFAs, organic minerals, vitamins and more, that should be collected, preserved, extracted, and used for higher value products.

To achieve this goal considerable investments and new knowledge development is needed. Reliable documentation and consumer education as well as the establishment of appropriate legislative framework are indispensable so that marine biomass-based products can successfully reach and establish in the markets.

AQUABIOPRO-FIT, a BBI JU Horizon 2020 funded project led by Nofima, brought together an interdisciplinary team of experts that worked together to remove bottlenecks and fill gaps of knowledge in ingredient and product development using marine biomass.

The specific AQUABIOPRO-FIT goal was to enhance marine product value by creating unique fractions with a higher content of proteins, different peptides, and other target bioactive compounds, including soluble nitrogenous substances, highly unsaturated fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins.

We tested the quality and bioactivity of the different fractions chemically, in model systems (cell cultures and mice) and sensory panels. In addition, tunicate (Ciona intestinalis) culture was established leading to growing production and successful commercial applications production of extruded feeds for Atlantic salmon as well as ingredients for food products (tunicate protein meat-like balls) and taste enhancers (ciona umami fond). 

Finally, we developed the AQUABIOPRO-FIT nutritional supplements which were documented in 4 clinical studies with athletes, healthy volunteers testing pH-balance, skin, nail and hair quality and detoxification, and patients with depression, stress and/or anxiety disorder. The cost-efficiency, environmental and social aspects of the developed processes were assessed, and standard production protocols established and used in the developed life-long training courses, available on-line in the project’s web site.

The clinical trials were performed in Greece, by Biognosis and Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, following screening model studies performed by the University of Crete (Medicine School, Greece), Valencia University (Pharmacy school, Spain), Nofima (Norway) and BioInTech (Bulgaria).

The AQUABIOPRO-FIT activities was communicated using an animate video in Youtube, and in social media by EFFOST (The Netherlands) and the project achievements were disseminated in peer review publications, conference special sessions, webinars and the dedicated final AQUABIOPRO-FIT conference, all available on line.