November 9, 2010

 

US study shows new protein source can replace menhaden fishmeal

 

 

A US study by the University of Idaho has confirmed that PetroAlgae Protein Concentrate (PPC) can be used as a replacement for high quality fishmeal in tilapia farming.

 

Renewable energy company, PetroAlgae Inc., announced that research conducted by the Aquaculture Research Institute at the University of Idaho has discovered that the protein concentrate (PPC) produced by them along with the renewable fuel feedstock can replace menhaden fishmeal protein at levels of up to 100% in feeds for tilapia.

 

"We are very encouraged by the results of this extensive study because they point to PetroAlgae protein as a highly desirable replacement for fishmeal at a time when feed demand is expected to increase dramatically in the face of limited traditional supply," said Dr. Ronald Hardy, who conducted the study.

 

The study also found that other farmed fish species could use PPC as a suitable replacement for fishmeal.

 

Tilapia is one of the largest-volume farmed fish species. The production of tilapia is expected to increase from 2.8 million tonnes to more than 9 million tonnes by 2020. Thus, tilapia rearing would require 13 million tonnes of feed (up from 8 million tonnes in 2010), according to the research.

 

The micro-crop technology used by PetroAlgae is made from indigenous, aquatic micro-organisms and they are suitable for local climates.

 

Besides enabling its technology licensees to produce a cost-effective alternative to fossil fuels as well as a high-value protein co-product, it also absorbs carbon dioxide from greenhouse gas emissions.

 

Micro-crop farms which make use of PetroAlgae's technology are highly productive. The new sources of protein grown locally are not genetically modified and resistant to local diseases.

 

In addition to its uses in the aquaculture industry, PPC is expected to be suitable for nursery swine, poultry, and, ultimately, for direct human consumption.

 

The conclusion of the study is PPC is capable of replacing fishmeal protein up to 100% in feeds for tilapia, without using amino acid supplementation or other adjustments to the formulation, and allows growth performance similar to fishmeal.

 

PPC, when combined with fishmeal, offered higher fish weight gain than with fishmeal alone, possibly due to a positive synergistic effect most likely related to amino acid balance in the feed.

 

PPC does not change the composition of tilapia or increase their mortality rates. Together, these findings show that PPC is a safe feed ingredient with no toxic indications after nine weeks of feeding.

 

PPC demonstrates potential as a feed component for other farmed fish species as its nutrients are highly digestible.

 

Reduction of environmental contamination can take place in dense aquaculture areas as the protein concentrate has suitability for producing low pollution feeds.