Knowledge compilation of egg biomass as a fish feed ingredient in Sweden

Purpose and goal

Within the Formas project 2020-03122 (the National Food Research Program), we compile opportunities and obstacles for valorizing a sidestream from the Swedish egg industry, a biomass consisting of egg biomass with shells. The idea is that this sidestream can be valorized to an ingredient suitable for fish feed. The compilation must also include proper processing and drying techniques that can enable the recovery of valuable nutrients such as proteins and minerals that are currently not utilized in the food chain. Instead of creating expensive waste management costs, the hope is that the egg biomass can be used as a raw material in fish feed, which can both provide better exchange in primary production and at the same time create opportunities for fish feed production on a large scale at national level.

Challenge

Swedish Food Agency recommends an increased national consumption of seafood, which is both nutritious and healthy. But the fish we eat is largely imported and farmed in other countries, with a significant environmental impact. In Sweden, there are good conditions for producing resource-smart, marine foods with a low climate impact and good access to both fresh and salt water. This has contributed to an increased interest in fish farming in Sweden. A major challenge in creating sustainable fish production is to develop energy- and raw material-efficient processing and manufacturing techniques for fish feed. Fish feed accounts for a significant proportion of the fish's climate impact, and today there is no national fish feed production in Sweden. At the same time, the nutrient-rich sidestream of broken egg biomass with shells, from egg processing, is today sent to biogas plants with an extra cost due to waste management requirement. Egg industry and fish industry are two, at present, different industries where there is no strong connection between and thus there is also a lack of knowledge about fish feed production from egg biomass.

Solution

The project compiles opportunities and obstacles to increase the value of this sidestream in Sweden. The project will:

1. Compile scientific literature to identify potential technologies for resource-smart and energy-efficient production of a safe, functional fish feed ingredient from the egg sidestream;

2. Compile the national availability of egg sidestream from the egg industry;

3. Interview relevant actors and gather current needs regarding feasibility from a technical, economic and environmental perspective with stakeholders;

4. Disseminate knowledge from available research results to the Swedish business community to increase its competitiveness.

Effect

The project will:

1. Create added value for underutilized biomass, which benefits farmers and local industries;

2. Create jobs by identifying new competitive manufacturing methods and business opportunities to produce raw materials for fish feed in Sweden;

3. Contribute to the efficient use of raw materials through recycling flows.

In this way, ingredients for a resource-smart, sustainable, and nutritious fish feed can be produced nationally, with good conditions to contribute to competitive fish farming in Sweden, while at the same time increasing sustainability for the egg industry.

The target group is entrepreneurs, investors and decision-makers who contribute to a sustainable, competitive food industry. The project result will contribute to the global goals for sustainable development in 02 no hunger; 09 Sustainable industry, innovations and infrastructure; 12 Sustainable consumption and production.