Objective
The project addresses the global need for a reliable mass production of a pathogen free live feed for the larval aquaculture industry. The new ready-to-use solution will be produced sustainably to supplement or replace Artemia, the most important current live feed.
Mainly produced in USA, the only existing storage stable live feed, Artemia, is limited in supply, threatening future growth of the aquaculture industry. Hatcheries are eagerly looking for new ready-to-use and pathogen free solutions as all live feeds are potential carriers or vectors for diseases causing severe losses per year.
E-nema has produced and successfully tested nematodes as live feed. This new protein feed, made in Europe, is produced in bioreactors using cost effective and readily available feedstock from land bound agriculture. Contrary to state of the art solutions no fish oil or fishmeal is required to enhance the feed to proper nutritional value. The storage stable new European live feed is ready-to-use within 1-hour rehydration in water, requiring minimal labour and facility. Existing live feeds are complicated to use, requiring treatment with chemicals, incubation periods and dedicated equipment. This consumes space, energy, skilled labour and produces waste. Manufactured under sterile conditions, the new feed eliminates the need for prophylactic or curative use of antibiotics in hatcheries.
Hatcheries provide aquaculture farms with fingerlings that are then grown to market size in tanks, ponds or open water installations. Aquaculture is the fastest growing food production sector, requiring reliable feed sources to sustain this growth. A strong potential for sales into aquaculture of current and high-value emerging European aquatic species has been identified. Next step is to choose and verify methods for technical upscale as well as building an in depth researched business case. A high level investigation has so far found the project financially viable.
Fields of science
- agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesfisheries
- engineering and technologyenvironmental biotechnologybioremediationbioreactors
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteins
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugsantibiotics
- agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculture
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1Coordinator
24223 Schwentinental
Germany
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