At the end of next year, the Nordic project "Conservation and processing of marine macro algae for feed ingredients (Capmafi)", funded by Nordic Marine Innovation, will be completed. Participants in addition to Matís are Eukaryo AS, Due Miljø and Akvatik AS from Norway as well as Tari-Faroe Seaweed from the Faroe Islands.
The main objective of the project is to develop a production process for separating certain components from large algae with membrane filtration equipment, preserving them and using them as added raw material in aquaculture feed.
The main emphasis was on the separation of proteins, peptides and amino acids, with the help of enzymes. The production process was roughly based on the reduction of the algae in a concentrate with a wet mill. The concentrate was treated with enzymes in order to break down the proteins into peptides and amino acids. The concentrate was then treated with acid (digestion) to increase shelf life and aid in the breakdown of proteins. Membrane filtration then separated proteins, peptides and amino acids from the concentrate.
An experiment was carried out in Bodø, Norway, on a large scale, using membrane filtration to separate compounds. It went well and the recovery of protein and smaller molecules was promising for the project.
Before completing the project, the separation of polysaccharides will be examined.