Milk and soy proteins have long been used successfully in the food industry. There is a growing market for protein, with a worldwide turnover of billions of dollars. The most common proteins used in the food industry are processed from both animal and plant kingdoms. It has long been known that quality proteins are found in fish, but for various reasons it has proved more difficult to use them as additives in food than the aforementioned proteins. Matís' new research may change that.
Soy protein is the most common plant protein today and whey protein the most common animal protein. Casein, gelatin and dried egg whites follow. Despite indications of various excellent processing properties of fish proteins, methods of isolation and purification are less advanced than for vegetable and milk proteins. The fish proteins can therefore not yet compete with the aforementioned proteins as excipients in prepared foods.
Matís research
New technology, developed by Matís, has made it possible to isolate and clean fish proteins from cuts made during traditional fillet processing. The protein can then be used to improve utilization in fillet processing and also in ready-made products such as fish balls and deep-fried fish. There is also a growing market for products processed with enzymes, microfiltration and other technologies. This market is based on various healthy properties of fish proteins and products made from them.
In 2005, the Fisheries Research Institute (IFL) founded the company Iceprótein ehf to produce and sell fish protein products for use in both traditional fish processing and health products. The project 'Fish Protein Markets' which began that year was a joint project of IFL (now Matís) and Iceprótein ehf. The aim was to map the market and examine products with fish proteins and materials processed from them to lay the foundation for the company's strategy, structure and market connections.
Matís' final report on the project was recently published (Matís report 07-08), which begins with a general assessment of proteins in the food market, ie. different types of proteins and their market share. Then the main products with fish proteins are explained, i.e. fishmeal, fish protein concentrate, surimi, isolati, fish digestion, fish sauce, flavors, gelatin, dietary supplements and their health-related properties.
The authors of the report say that despite indications of various excellent processing properties of fish proteins, methods of isolation and purification are less advanced than for vegetable and milk proteins. The fish proteins can therefore not yet compete with them as excipients in prepared foods.
Fish protein against obesity?
However, there is a good chance that more dietary supplements from hydrolyzed fish proteins (VFPs) can be developed, for example to reduce blood pressure or to increase the body's protection against stress. It is believed that certain protein products can even be used to control appetite in the fight against obesity. In addition, there are products on the market to lower the glycemic index.
The market for such fish protein products is not large but is expected to grow in the coming years, in addition to which there are opportunities to use traditional production methods, such as fermentation, to enhance the bioactivity properties of VFP and use them in products already known to consumers. Thus, it is very likely that low-salt fish sauces and fish flavors with specially designed bioactive properties will be available in the future. However, this is partly due to the fact that the health claims are accepted. This requires extensive and costly research that both public bodies and companies need to fund.