April 6, 2007

Neptune Industries to develop insect-based protein for fish

US-based aquaculture and technology group Neptune Industries (NI) has announced a research agreement with Mississippi State University (MSU) to develop an insect-based dietary protein for fish.

Besides completing development of NI's product, taste and quality tests for fish fed with the insect protein will be conducted under the agreement.

The final patent-pending product named Ento-Protein would be a sustainable source of protein to replace fishmeal, which is currently made from declining stocks of ocean species, said NI's president Ernest Papadoyianis.

NI expects its product to be on the market before end-2008, and will first target organic and natural fish production before moving into the mainstream seafood market.

Three MSU divisions will work with NI in its research. The etymology department will identify insect species most suited for producing the new protein. MSU's aquaculture department will conduct feeding and growth rate tests on fish fed with the new protein, while the food science department will test for any differences in the taste or quality of fish reared on the new diet.

NI will commence construction of full-scale manufacturing facilities to develop the product after the tests are successfully completed, with the product expected to be ready within a year.