Rejerestprodukter. Foto: Launis

Turning shrimp side streams into an income

Food, fish and agriculture Food production
Researchers and industry representatives have set out to find a profitable and environmentally friendly way to extract valuable substances such as flavours, calcium and collagen from the shrimp industry’s side streams. The National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, heads up the project, which has received more than 1.8 million Euro in funding from the Innovation Fund Denmark.

The production of peeled shrimp generates a large amount of side streams such as shrimp shells and heads as well as cooking water. Traditionally these side streams have been processed into animal feed or simply discarded. However, they are rich in e.g. calcium, collagen and flavours, which can be used in e.g. dietary supplements and foods.

In a new project called ReMeSS, Danish researchers and industry representatives have set out to find a profitable and sustainable way to extract these valuable substances. Although previous studies have shown that it is possible to extract the substances, extraction of just one substance is not profitable yet. As such, ReMeSS aims to develop an economically sustainable process that can extract several substances.

“The strength of the project is that players from the entire value chain are involved. Thus, we have all the necessary competencies to create a profitable extraction process,” project manager and Associate Professor at the National Food Institute Nina Gringer says.

"We aim to extract value from the side streams that until now have only had little value or been an expense for the industry, while also making the production of peeled shrimp more sustainable," she explains.

"We aim to extract value from the side streams that until now have only had little value or been an expense for the industry, while also making the production of peeled shrimp more sustainable."
Associate Professor Nina Gringer

The benefits of being able to better utilize the side streams are not just financial and environmental: The body obtains calcium from supplements more easily if the calcium comes from an organic source such as shrimp shells compared to inorganic calcium from a limestone quarry. Also, flavours that are extracted from the side streams can help satisfy consumer demand for natural additives.

Using new and environmentally friendly techniques

A compact filter press, developed at the Technical University of Denmark, will be used to separate the side streams into a liquid and a solid fraction. This will reduce the volume of the solid fraction by two-thirds, leading to more sustainable extraction hereafter. As such, extraction of the valuable substances one by one will go faster and can be done with smaller amounts of chemicals.

The goal is to extract as many high-value substances as possible for use as ingredients in both food and health food products. Thanks to the combination of the compact filter press and the gentle extraction technologies - in a so-called cascading technique - the project partners will be able to extract as many products as possible while generating the least possible amount of residual product.

The projects helps to support UN Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production.

Read more

A special topic portal on the National Food Institute’s website showcases some of the many ways in which the institute works to create sustainable technological solutions in the area of food. Read e.g. about projects that transform side streams into new ingredients and foods.