Since 2000, fishmeal demand has exceeded supply, leading to the adoption of plant protein (PP) alternatives, which face criticism due to competition with human food demand and environmental drawbacks like higher carbon footprints and water use, alongside nutritional challenges for carnivorous fish such as poor palatability and imbalanced amino acids. This has driven the industry to seek innovative feed ingredients, including marine and terrestrial by-products, seaweeds, microbial biomasses, and insects, but no definitive sustainable solution has yet been found. Promising research, aligned with international projects under Horizon Europe and the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership, focuses on bio-based protein sources such as single-cell protein (SCP) from filamentous fungi. SCP offers high protein content, balanced essential amino acids comparable to fishmeal, environmental benefits like reduced land and water use, and year-round production. Certified low carbon footprint mycoprotein, produced using macroalgae-based substrates including seaweed waste, supports a circular economy by transforming discards into valuable feed ingredients resilient to market fluctuations and climate impacts. Utilizing marine by-products in aquafeed development thus promises enhanced product value, reduced economic losses, mitigated environmental effects, and the provision of nutritious, cost-effective, and sustainable seafood option.
Through systematic research and experimentation, AlFunFeed aims to identify SCP formulations, that deliver optimal nutritional and health benefits for farmed carnivorous fish.