Microalgae Biomass Feed Composition for Stable Salmon Protein Supply
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Solution Overview
Problem
The aquaculture industry faces challenges in finding sustainable and cost-effective protein sources to replace fish meal due to declining fish meal production, which is essential for fish-culture feed, as it accounts for a significant portion of the production cost and is affected by overfishing and marine environmental issues.
Innovation Solution
A feed composition for Salmonidae fish comprising biomass derived from microalgae, rich in nutrients such as protein, fatty acids, and minerals, which improves digestibility and nutritional value, addressing the need for alternative protein sources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If fish meal is used as the main protein source for fish-culture feed, then high protein content and excellent amino acid composition are achieved, but production cost increases and supply stability deteriorates due to declining fish meal production
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive and increasingly scarce fish meal with a cheaper, sustainably producible alternative: microalgae biomass. The microalgae can be rapidly cultivated and harvested, providing a renewable protein source that does not depend on declining fish stocks. This substitution maintains adequate protein content while improving supply stability and reducing costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the protein source parameters by transitioning from animal-based fish meal to plant-based microalgae biomass. This parameter change includes altering the amino acid profile, fatty acid composition, and source material characteristics while maintaining the essential function of providing high-quality protein for fish growth.
2Productivity
If fish meal production is increased to meet growing feed demand, then protein supply for aquaculture improves, but overfishing and marine environmental issues worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential function of fish meal (providing protein and amino acids for fish feed) and separates it from its harmful source (wild-caught fish). By isolating the nutritional function and implementing it through microalgae cultivation, the system eliminates the need to catch wild fish, thereby reducing overfishing and marine environmental degradation while maintaining feed production capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs microalgae, which can be rapidly grown and harvested in controlled environments, as a sustainable alternative to fish meal. This short-living, quickly renewable biomass source can be cultivated without depleting marine resources, enabling increased feed production capacity while avoiding the harmful environmental impacts of expanding fish meal production.
3Reliability
If alternative protein sources are sought to replace fish meal, then cost and sustainability improve, but protein quality and amino acid composition may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the amino acid profile of microalgae-based feed by adjusting cultivation parameters, species selection, and processing methods. Through these parameter changes, the microalgae biomass achieves an amino acid composition that closely matches the nutritional requirements of farmed fish, thereby maintaining protein quality while benefiting from the cost and sustainability advantages of alternative sources.
Data Source
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AI summary
A feed composition comprising microalgae-derived biomass according to the present application uses microalgae having a high content of protein, fat, and minerals and free of factors that degrade feed quality, and thus can be effectively used as a fish feed composition.