December 26, 2007

Beer waste groomed as fish feed

Fat Tire Amber Ale has been heralded for its "toasty malty" flavour but its producers, the new Belgium Brewing Co., beer is developing it as a key ingredient as an environment-friendly fish feed.

Some entrepreneurs from Colorado are already spending thousands of dollars to convert the wastewater from New Belgium's brewing operations into a high-protein ingredient to feed farm-raised fish.

According to Randy Swenson, CEO of Oberon FMR Inc, this development aims to replace the expensive fish meal.

Fish farming has taken off as the world's catch of wild fish has hit a plateau while global fish consumption, meanwhile, is climbing.

Farm-raised species such as salmon and tilapia rely on other fish such as anchovies and menhaden, which are ground into fish meal.

Global fish meal production has been relatively flat at around 6 million to 7 million tonnes a year in recent years while aquaculture, by contrast, has been climbing at an annual clip of 5-plus percent, to more than 48 million tonnes in 2005.