“We have taken parts of the fish that are normally not used, such as the heads and backbones and specially processed these them to create what we call ‘hydrolysates’ This is a kind of protein powder full of important nutrients”, says work package leader and Nofima scientist Tone Aspevik.
From residuals to protein powder
The BLUEWAYSE team has used very fine filters called nano filters. These filters purify the protein powder and improve the taste.
The researchers will carefully examine what the protein powder contains. At Nofima, the professional sensory panel will taste it and see if it is suited for food. In addition, the researchers will check if it can have health benefits and also beneficial for male fertility. The project partners at Lund University will do clinical studies on this powder and male fertility.
The next step is to send the protein powder to our project partners at the University of Crete and the University of Valencia for the assessment of bioactive and safety properties.
Nothing goes to waste
One key element of the BLUEWAYSE project is that researchers use absolutely everything of the fish raw material. After filtering, the mass contains bones and larger proteins. These will be used for the development of sunscreen ingredients and fish feed. Nothing goes to waste. Even the water that remains will be used to grow microalgae.
The BLUEWAYSE project is a step towards utilizing the whole fish and not wasting anything. At the same time, the project is aiming to develop high-end products with market potential.