Pictured from left to right: Áine Byrne, Norfish, Michael Gallagher, Innovation Manager, BIM, John Kenny, Atlantis, Frédéric Mens, Upcyclink, Richard Donnelly, Development and Innovation Director, BIM.
Photo: BIM
The Irish seafood development agency Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) has announced a collaboration with Finnish company SuperGround to investigate the potential for upcycling seafood co-products into high-quality food items. The initiative aims to enhance competitiveness, sustainability, and circularity within Ireland's seafood processing industry, BIM said in a news announcement.
SuperGround’s proprietary technology produces a paste from fish co-products, including heads, frames and other offcuts, which can be used as an ingredient in a range of foods such as fish cakes, nuggets, patties, fingers, pâtés, and soups. The company demonstrated its technology at the BIM Seafood Innovation Network co-product workshop held in Teagasc, Ashtown, in November 2024, where attendees sampled several product concepts.
“SuperGround has designed scalable food processing solutions that upcycle co-products to produce high-quality food products. This aligns with industry efforts to enhance sustainability and circularity. Following strong interest at the workshop, BIM engaged with SuperGround, supported by Hatch Blue, to further examine how this technology can benefit the Irish processing industry," said Dr. Michael Gallagher, Innovation Manager at BIM, in a press release.
Trials of the technology are scheduled from March to May 2025 in Killybegs, focusing on pelagic, whitefish, and salmon co-products. Eight processors have expressed interest in participating, and an industry visit to observe the technology in a commercial setting is under consideration for early 2025.
The November co-product workshop hosted by BIM was attended by more than 70 seafood business owners, focusing on the "potential to repurpose these nutrient-rich co-products for more valuable uses including food for human consumption, ingredients and nutraceuticals".
“Fish is typically filleted in Ireland and up to half of the fish remains as a co-product. By focusing on the repurposing of these co-products, the Irish seafood industry is aligning with both health and environmental goals. This innovative approach not only promises economic benefits but also contributes to a more sustainable future for the industry," Gallagher said.
“BIM is building data around the volume of co-product from mainstream species and estimates that up to half of the remains of processed seafood in Ireland are classified as co-products. By reimagining their potential, the industry can not only create higher value products but also contribute to a more sustainable and eco-conscious use of marine animal food,” he added.
A separate initiative, HUB4FOOD, an EU-funded project designed to promote innovation and sustainability in the Atlantic food sector, is another potential opportunity for seafood processors to develop commercial opportunities, BIM said.
The project involves a Europe-wide cosortium of 11 partners, including two Irish members, BIA Innovator Campus and Teagasc, Ireland's Agriculture and Food Development Agency.
In November, BIM participated in a HUB4FOODworkshop, providing an update on efforts to create value from co-products and underutilized fish species through product concept development and market engagement.
HUB4FOOD is now seeking applications from seafood SMEs, with Bia Innovator Campus and Teagasc to provide support to the successful applicant.
