October 1, 2024

 

Companies in Finland look into utilising 90% of  salmon for human consumption

 

 

Two Finnish companies have teamed up to increase the percentage of salmon that can be used for human consumption to 90%, potentially increasing income for fish farmers by making their fish more valuable.

 

Food technology company Hailia has developed a method of upcycling fish heads, frames, fins, and tails to create an easy-to-use, affordable raw material for the food industry and consumers and will manufacture food products from salmon side streams provided by Hätälä, which manufactures fish products for retail, wholesale, and the food service industry.

 

Hailia chief executive Michaela Lindström told Fish Farming Expert that the company's upcycled fish has a similar mouth feel to salmon fillet but is not designed as the centrepiece of a plate, as a salmon fillet would be. It is intended for industrial, food service and domestic use as an ingredient in meals such as salads, in fillings, for example, in breads or sushi fillings, or to add flavour to a pasta sauce or a fish soup.

 

She said between 65% and 80% of a salmon is used for human consumption at the moment, depending on processing. Increasing that to 90% would make the fish more valuable, as side streams used for human consumption are worth more than if they are sold for pet food or other uses.

 

"We can turn the whole fish into 'fillet', not including viscera and blood, of course, but everything from head to tail, including the frame, we can upcycle," explained Lindström. "We make a homogenised mass and then restructure it into a product that has a mouth feel that resembles cooked fish fillet.

 

"We use the bone tissue but when you eat it, there's no bones that you could feel. It's like a fillet."

 

Hätälä chief executive Veikko Leinonen said: "With Hailia's innovative technology, a bigger part of the fish can be used to create nutritious, high-quality seafood. Sustainability guides all our operations at Hätälä, and we want to promote sustainable development in the entire aquaculture industry. As a fourth-generation family-owned company, we cherish our traditions, but at the same time, we welcome new circular solutions and resource-wise processes."

 

It is Hätälä that is responsible both for using the upcycled fillet it receives from Hailia, and marketing it.

 

"Versatile, high-quality, and affordable seafood is interesting to consumers as well as the restaurant and food service industry," said Petri Tiikkala, sales manager at Hätälä. "Due to their structure, the salmon products made from side streams are suitable for many different kinds of foods. They are also ready to use, which makes them attractive to constantly busy restaurant kitchens. I believe that the products will be successful in multiple markets."

 

Major salmon farmers have shown an interest in Hailia's technology, said Lindström.

 

"We have been doing this for three and a half years but in the last year, since we have started talking about Atlantic salmon and whitefish, I would almost say that the interest has exploded," she said.

 

- Fish Farming Expert