Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23K—FODDER
  • A23K50/00—Feeding-stuffs specially adapted for particular animals
  • A23K50/80—Feeding-stuffs specially adapted for particular animals for aquatic animals, e.g. fish, crustaceans or molluscs
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23K—FODDER
  • A23K10/00—Animal feeding-stuffs
  • A23K10/20—Animal feeding-stuffs from material of animal origin
  • A23K10/22—Animal feeding-stuffs from material of animal origin from fish
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23K—FODDER
  • A23K20/00—Accessory food factors for animal feeding-stuffs
  • A23K20/10—Organic substances
  • A23K20/142—Amino acids; Derivatives thereof
  • A23K20/147—Polymeric derivatives, e.g. peptides or proteins
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23K—FODDER
  • A23K20/00—Accessory food factors for animal feeding-stuffs
  • A23K20/10—Organic substances
  • A23K20/158—Fatty acids; Fats; Products containing oils or fats
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23K—FODDER
  • A23K20/00—Accessory food factors for animal feeding-stuffs
  • A23K20/10—Organic substances
  • A23K20/163—Sugars; Polysaccharides
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23K—FODDER
  • A23K40/00—Shaping or working-up of animal feeding-stuffs
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23K—FODDER
  • A23K40/00—Shaping or working-up of animal feeding-stuffs
  • A23K40/25—Shaping or working-up of animal feeding-stuffs by extrusion

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a process for producing a fish-farming fish feed.
• Preferred embodiments of the process comprise the subsequent steps of providing one or more dry raw materials for said fish feed and one or more liquid raw materials for said fish feed; mixing said dry and liquid raw materials to form a paste; forming said paste into formed paste in an at least semi-automated process; heat treating said formed paste to set said formed paste to provide a set paste; and cooling said set paste.
• Production of a fish-farming fish feed is today typically carried out in a process requiring high amount of power, such as electrical power.
• Many known processes are today carried out by use of an extrusion system comprising a preconditioning and extrusion.
• the energy consumption of such extrusion systems is high. Electrical energy is used for running motors/main screw(s) of the extruder and thermal energy is used for the processing of extrudate to allow melting, mixing and later expansion (consisting of steam and/or hot water).
• traditional extruded products require drying, which typically utilizes 50% of all energy consumed in an aquafeed processing line.
• the raw materials for the fish feed are processed e.g.
• extruder nozzle typically at a pressure larger than 10 bar upstream of the extruder nozzle.
• the extrudate typically has a problematic high moisture content (e.g. larger than 15%) requiring a subsequent drying.
• extruding processes typically occur in zones meaning that the volume inside the extruder is divided into zones where each zone is designed to carry out a single processes.
• Preferred embodiments of the invention has potential to reduce the energy consumption used to produce a fish feed when compared to more traditional production processes, which typically involves one or more extrusion processes.
• the energy reduction compared to an extrusion processes may be two-fold, namely i) the high energy consumption to perform the extrusion is avoided and ii) since no extrusion is used, the energy normally used to dry the extrudate may be avoided.
• preferred embodiments may provide a fish feed having a relatively high water content, energy needed to dry the fish feed may be reduced - or may even be avoided - compared to more traditional production processes.
• the paste After cooling of said set paste, the paste is preferably referred to as a cooled set paste.
• Semi-automated process preferably refers to a process performed by the combined activities of human and machine.
• both human and machine steps may be orchestrated by a computer controller.
• Fully automated preferably refers to a process which is carried out by a machine with essentially no human activities, although a fully automated process may involve supervision and/or imposing corrective measures by a human.
• Preferred embodiments of the invention may have the potential and/or capabilities of providing a fish feed suitable for farming of all fish and crustacean species in a water-borne environment, such as marine and/or freshwater aqua feed fish feed to provide complete nutrition for farming of fish and crustaceans for human consumption. This may be obtained by selecting dry and liquid raw materials in accordance with the nutritional needs to be covered and processing these raw materials by a preferred embodiment of the invention, while preferably selecting process temperatures (and other process parameter) not negatively inflicting the nutritive content of the raw materials.
• the invention is particularly, but not exclusively, advantageous for obtaining a fish-farming fish feed in an energy efficient manner.
• the thermal energy required for forming the fish feed may be lowered compared to production of fish feed by traditional extrusion systems.
• the need for drying fish feed e.g. by use of hot air drying system, as used in traditional extrusion systems, may be mitigated or even left out.
• the production process may be highly flexible and the production may be carried closer to an end user. This may be emphasised by that the production steps may be considered as being technically relatively simple to carry out and may be carried out by equipment not requiring operation by an expert or a highly trained professional.
• a mix of dry and/or liquid raw materials may be provided at one location and shipped or moved to a different location e.g. close to an end user, for the subsequent processing.
• Paste is preferably used to reference a substance exposing plastic properties so as to be formable.
• a paste is typically at least liquid-like, such as having viscoelastic properties such as shear-thinning.
• a paste may also be referred to as "not yet set” as a subsequent heat treating of the paste sets the paste.
• Solidification preferably refers to a process during which a material becomes a hard or compact mass, such as changing from a liquid to a solid state. It is noted that not all raw or liquid materials of the paste undergoes a solidification. One or more of the raw materials have solidification properties, such that the solidification of said one or more raw materials undergoing a solidification process imposes solidification to the paste.
• the material may form a stable matrix after setting.
• Setting may be provided by a heat treatment. During the heat treatment to provide a set paste, preferably substantially no mechanical actions are imposed onto the formed paste, whereas heat is added to the formed paste.
• the form of the set paste is essentially unchanged relatively to the form given by the forming process.
• the formed paste may shrink, although the overall shape of the formed paste is essentially unchanged.
• Forming is preferably used to reference an at least semi-automated mechanical process of providing a shape to a not yet set paste.
• the forming may be characterized by no addition or removal of heat and/or substances from the not yet set paste during forming.
• the forming process is carried out by a device similar to a sausage press, such as a mechanical or hydraulic sausage forming/stuffing machine, in which a screw conveyer press the not yet set paste through an opening providing the form of the not yet set paste.
• a forming process used in connection with the present invention is preferably a process in which the paste is given a preselected form without substantially altering the physical state of the paste. Forming is typically carried out with a low energy input to the paste so that that solid material(s) of the paste is(are) kept in solid state, which typically means that melting of solid state material(s) of the paste is not occurring. During a preferred forming process, low shear is imposed onto the paste, where low shear here refers to that the physical state of the raw materials of the paste does not change.
• a large difference between a forming step according to preferred embodiments of the invention and an extrusion process is the forming step's lack of physicochemical transformation.
• physicochemical transformation(s) typically occurs due to a high temperature of the extrudate (the material being extruded) and the presence of a high shear in and on the extrudate during the forming step.
• high shear forces are generated by the contact of the extruder screw and barrels with the extrudate.
• Cooling as used in "cooling said paste” preferably refers to a process similar to a heat treating process disclosed herein, except that instead of adding heat to the paste, heat is extracted from the set paste.
• Biotrusion is the name used to reference methods according to preferred embodiments of the invention.
• Figure 1 is a flow-chart of a preferred embodiment of a method according to the invention.
• Figure 2 is a schematic illustration of a system for producing a fish feed in a preferred embodiment of the invention
• Fig. 1 schematically illustrates a preferred embodiment of process for producing a fish-farming fish feed (also referred herein as a fish feed).
• Preferred embodiments including the one illustrated in fig. 1, aims at producing a marine and/or freshwater aqua feed fish feed to provide complete nutrition for farming of fish and crustaceans for human consumption.
• the fish feed may not provide a complete nutrition as preferred embodiments may aim at providing a supplementary to other fish feeds or used in combination with a supplementary fish feed and also the crustaceans may be dispensed.
• the process for producing the fish feed is divided into steps being executed subsequently to each other as a subsequent process step is carried out on the result obtained by a previous process step as will be apparent from the following.
• a step of providing raw materials typically includes two initial steps of providing raw materials which may be carried out in parallel. Accordingly, preferred embodiments of the process comprising an initial step of providing one or more dry raw materials for said fish feed and one or more liquid raw materials for said fish feed.
• These raw materials may have undergone one or more pre-treatment steps such as grinding of the dry raw materials and/or a heat treatment which may be carried out for both the dry and liquid raw materials.
• Preferred embodiments of the invention aims at providing a fish feed comprising nutrient(s) for providing nutritional requirements for growth and wellbeing of farmed fish, and in such embodiments, the dry and/or liquid raw materials comprising nutrient(s) for providing nutritional requirements, such as complete nutritional requirements, for growth and preferably wellbeing of farmed fish.
• a mixing of the dry and liquid raw materials is carried out.
• This mixing provides the mixed raw materials as a paste.
• Such a mixing may be carried out in a number of way, and may even be characterized as a kneading process.
• the mixing is carried out in a mixing device comprising one or more agitators operated by an electrical motor.
• the heterogeneous nature of the dry and liquid raw materials is preferably manipulated into a more homogeneous nature.
• the mixing is preferably carried out without addition or extraction of heat or substances to the dry and liquid materials.
• the paste is subjected to a forming step during which the paste is formed into what herein is referred to as a formed paste.
• the forming step is preferably carried out in an at least semi-automated process.
• the forming process is carried out in an automated manner including advancing the mixed raw material by use of a screw conveyer towards and through a die-opening; this process may be quite similar to a process carried out by a sausage press.
• the forming step is typically not considered to be an extrusion process as an extrusion process typically involves addition of heat and utilizes larger amount of pressure, which in general means that the raw materials are processed (changing physical state of the raw materials) during the extrusion process.
• essentially no processing takes places except from forming the paste into a formed paste.
• the formed paste is heat treated. Such a heat treatment is selected so as to set the formed paste to provide a set paste. And, subsequently to the setting of the formed paste, the set paste is cooled.
• the forming step is preferably carried out in a manner that does not involve physicochemical transformations of the paste during said forming step.
• the pressure in paste during the forming step is preferably below 2.0 bar, such as below 1.5 bar, such as below 1.25 bar relatively to atmospheric pressure, and preferably at or above atmospheric pressure.
• the heat treating step is configured to set at least an outer region or surface of said formed paste.
• An outer region may be in the order of 30%, such as in the order of 40%, or even in the order of 50% of the volume of the formed paste.
• the heat treating sets an outer region, the full volume of the formed paste may be set, which setting may be due to heat dissipation into inner regions of the formed paste and/or other setting mechanisms.
• the heat treating step of configured to set the full volume of the formed paste during the heat treating step.
• fig. 2 schematically illustrating a preferred embodiment of a system for producing a fish feed according to the present invention.
• the dry and liquid raw materials are stored in separate silos 1. It is noted that although only two silos 1 are shown, a number of silos 1 may be present for storing a number of dry and liquid raw materials in separate silos.
• the dry and liquid raw materials are fed into a mixer 2.
• the mixing is preferably carried out in a manner that mixes the raw materials together without changing the physical state of the raw materials, that is, the raw materials are not processed during the mixing.
• the amounts of dry and liquid raw materials are typically metered by one or more metering devices (not illustrated).
• the metering devices may comprise a scale.
• a screw conveyer can be used to metering out amounts of dry materials (an amount of rotation correspond to a certain amount conveyed).
• the mixed raw materials leaves the mixer 2 as paste.
• the paste is fed into a forming device 3, which in the illustrated embodiment comprising a conveyer screw 4 advancing the paste towards and through a die 5 and leaves the die 5 as a formed paste.
• the paste is introduced into moulds, such as open ended moulds.
• the formed paste is fed, such as conveyed, into the heat treating device 6 which may be based on one or more of the heat treating processes disclosed herein.
• the formed paste is divided into separate pieces of formed paste, although the invention also covers - as indicated in fig. 2 - that the formed paste is fed as a continuous string of formed paste into heat treating device 6 and leaves the heat treating device as a set paste.
• the set paste is fed into a cooling device 7 which may be based on one or more of the cooling process disclosed herein and leaves the cooling device as a cooled set paste.
• a cooling device 7 may be a compartment having a controlled temperature, wherein the set paste stays for a residence time sufficient for the formed paste to reach a preselected temperature.
• a cooling device 7 is considered a position in a room having a temperature lower than the temperature of the set paste after the heat treating device, and at which position the set paste is left to cool.
• the arrow labelled with a "Q" indicates extraction of heat.
• the cooled set paste may be divided or further divided into a final shape and size. Often, the cool set paste is stored in a storing facility 8.
• the forming is in preferred embodiments carried out with essentially no heat addition.
• essentially no heat addition is typically meant that no active heating of the paste during the forming process is carried out, although there might be a slight temperature difference between the paste during the forming process and the surroundings in which the forming takes place.
• the forming is preferably carried out with essentially no, such as no addition of liquid or dry raw materials.
• essentially typically meant that no active additions of raw materials is carried out, although depending on the process, some ingress of materials e.g. from the surrounding may take place.
• the heat treating comprising a blanching process during which said outer surface of said formed paste is exposed to steam having a temperature larger than 100°C or submerged into a bath of liquid having a temperature larger 60°C, such as larger than 95°C and preferably having a temperature lower than a boiling temperature of the liquid at standard atmosphere, wherein said liquid is selected from water, consumable or feed grade oil.
• the temperature may be larger than 125°C in embodiments where the liquid is oil.
• the blanching process applies heat to an outer surface of said formed paste and heat treats only a surface or an outer region of the said formed paste during the blanching so that a temperature during said blanching of an inner region surrounded by said surface or outer region is maintained substantially unaffected during said blanching process.
• the volume of the inner region is selected so that heat from blanching, after end of the blanching, dissipates into the inner region and sets the inner region.
• Heat treating may also be carried out in a conditioning tunnel, inside which an elevated temperature prevails at a magnitude providing setting of at least an outer region of the formed paste.
• Tunnel here preferably refers to a device through which the formed paste is conveyed.
• said blanching is carried out for a duration of time sufficient for an inner most region of said formed paste to be heated to temperature between 45°C and 70°C, such as to heated to a temperature between 50°C and 65°C.
• Inner most region may be a volume of the formed paste located in the centre of mass and being in the order of 1mm 3 , such as in the order of 5mm 3 .
• the heat treating carried out is typically used to activate one or more settable substances comprised in the dry and/or liquid raw materials, and the heat treating may advantageously be carried in a manner where the temperature is sufficiently high to activate the one or more settable substances without negatively affecting the nutritional content of the raw materials.
• preferred embodiments involve that the heat treating comprising subjecting the formed paste to water having a temperature between 55°C and 100°C, such as between 60°C and 80°C.
• the formed paste is submerged into the water and in other, the formed paste is subjected to steam or heated air comprising water as mist or droplets.
• the formed paste is preferably placed in the water for a predetermined first residence time.
• the residence time is typically selected so that the inner most regions of the formed paste reaches a temperature being sufficient to activate the settable substances and may be calculated based on a heat conduction coefficient of the formed paste or determined experimentally.
• Non-limiting examples on the first residence time are larger than 20 second, such larger than 30 seconds, preferably larger than 2 minutes and less than 30 minutes such as less than 15 minutes.
• the heat treating may comprise subjecting the formed paste to an oil having a temperature between 80°C and 140°C, such as between 80°C and 99°C.
• This heat treating preferably comprising placing formed paste in a bath of the oil for a predetermined first residence time.
• the residence time is selected in accordance with whether only the surface is to set or whether larger sections such as all of the formed paste is to set.
• Non-limiting examples on the residence time are larger than 20 seconds, such larger than 30 seconds, preferably larger than 2 minutes and less than 30 minutes such as less than 15 minutes.
• Heat treatment may also be carried out by use of microwaves, and in such embodiments, the heat treating comprising subjecting the formed paste to microwave heating.
• the wavelength(s) of the microwaves is(are) selected so as to excite e.g. water molecules or one or more other excitable substances comprised in the raw materials. By exciting molecules the temperature of the formed paste rises and such an increase in temperature activated one or more settable substances comprised in the raw materials.
• the power supplied to the formed paste is between 40 and 140 kilowatt hour per ton formed paste.
• the cooling comprises arranging the set paste in an atmosphere having a temperature being lower than the temperature the set paste has after being heat treated. In preferred embodiments this means placing the set paste in an atmosphere having a temperature less than 35°C, such as less than 30°C, preferably less than 25°C, such as less than 20°C, preferably less than 15°C, such as less than 10°C, preferably less than 5°C and larger than 1°C.
• the temperature of the atmosphere may be provided by a cooling device operated according to a traditional cooling circuit where evaporation of a coolant is used to set the temperature of the atmosphere.
• the set paste is conveyed through such cooling device by a conveyor belt and the speed of the conveyor belt determines the time during which the set paste is located inside the cooling device.
• the set paste is typically placed in the atmosphere for a predetermined second residence time.
• the second residence time is selected in accordance with how deep into the formed paste the low temperature is to penetrate.
• the low temperature penetrates the whole heat treated paste and in others, the low temperature penetrates only a fraction of the heat treated paste. In the latter case, a temperature equilibrium is later obtained by heat conduction internally in the cooled and set past.
• the second residence time is preferably larger than 10 minutes and less than 24 hours, such as less than 60 minutes, such as less than 30 minutes.
• the set paste is arranged in said atmosphere for a duration of time being sufficient long to cool the set paste to a temperature being within a range of essentially 0°C and 7°C, such as within 0.5°C to 6°C, preferably as within 2°C to 5°C of the temperature of said atmosphere.
• This temperature is typically a bulk temperature being a volume averaged temperature if temperature gradients are present or an essentially unified temperature of the set paste.
• the cooling is a quench cooling, wherein said set paste is quenched cooled immediately after said heat treating by submerging said set paste into liquid water or liquid oil having a temperature less than 10°C, such as less than 5°C.
• preferred embodiments may comprise cooling by natural convection during which the set paste is left in a room or a container and is cooled by natural exchange of heat with the surroundings.
• the paste may also be provided without such oil or a lower amount of the oil.
• an increase of the oil content in the set paste to e.g. meet certain nutritional requirements may be an advantageous process and such increase of oil may be provided by an oil coating and/or an oil ingression into e.g. pores formed in the set paste.
• preferred embodiments may comprise a step of increasing oil content of one or more oils in the set paste by subjecting the set paste to an oil. In preferred embodiment, this is carried out by immersing the set paste in a bath of oil(s) for a predetermined third residence time.
• the residence time is determined in accordance with the amount of oil to be added to the set paste and whether a coating and/or ingression of oil(s) is(are) to be carried out.
• the residence time although determinable by calculations based on diffusion rates and other physical characteristic of the set paste and oil(s), the residence time is in many preferred embodiments determined by experiments, during which the residence time is logged together with e.g. a weight increase of the set paste.
• the set paste may be subjected to a mist of oil. This may advantageously be combined with reducing the pressure in which the set paste is located so as to provide a vacuum coating and/or vacuum infusion of the set paste.
• the temperature of oil used to increase the oil content in the set paste may be less than 40°C, such as less than 25°C and larger than 20°C, preferably the temperature of said oil is between 15°C and 45°C.
• the oil has fluid properties allowing intrusion of oil into the set paste and/or energy needed to heat the oil is reduced or even avoided as the oil may have a room temperature of e.g. between 15-25°C.
• the shape of the fish feed may be selected arbitrary and as per desire. However, in some preferred embodiments, is it preferred to shape the formed paste into individually shaped pellets suitable for consumption by the target fish or crustacean or it may be shaped as an elongate structure from which the fish or crustacean feeds e.g. by nipping or biting smaller pieces off.
• Such a shaping may be carried out after the paste is formed and/or after the paste is set e.g. prior to and/or after cooling.
• the paste is formed as a string of formed paste leaving die (as disclosed above), and this string of formed paste is divided in sections, typically by cutting the string of formed paste leaving the die, either directly at the exit of the die or downstream of the exit of the die, which means that in such embodiment, the paste is preferably considered to have been formed at the exit of the die.
• the method comprises dividing said formed paste or said set paste into pellets having an equivalent radius less than 60.0 mm, preferably less than 40.0 mm, such as less than 20.0 mm, preferably less than 10.0 mm, such as less than 7.5 mm, preferably less than 5.0 mm and preferably larger than 2.0 mm, such as larger than 2.5 mm.
• the shaping may be carried out sequentially in the sense the formed paste may be formed in to what may be labelled a blank for further shaping, and such blanks may e.g. be divided into smaller elements. Such a subsequent shaping of blanks may be carried out prior to or after heat treating and/or after cooling.
• the formed paste is an elongate formed paste.
• the cross sectional may be given a desired shape, and in preferred embodiments, the cross section may be cylindrical, circular, triangular, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, or even polygonal, or star shaped.
• the elongate formed paste has longitudinal through-going opening, typically centred in a geometrical centre of the cross section of the elongate formed paste.
• the formed paste or set paste is stick shaped, block shaped, pellet shaped, spherical shaped or donut shaped.
• Preferred raw materials used in preferred embodiments of the present invention are preferably - and may even only - be used in their native form. However, it may be necessarily to break-up or further break-up dry raw materials e.g. by a grinding action to a desired particle size suitable for the target species prior to mixing. Such particles size are known to a skilled person.
• preferred embodiments aim at producing a fish feed based on one or more dry materials and one or more liquid raw materials which in combination provides a fish feed providing nutritional requirements, such as complete nutritional requirements for growth and preferably also wellbeing of farmed fish. It is considered within the knowledge of a skilled person to compose raw materials to fulfils the nutritional needs required.
• the actual composition of the raw materials should preferably also include one or more heat settable material in order to provide a set paste.
• the settable material(s) may be one more materials coagulating during the heat treating.
• the material may form stable matrix after setting.
• the ratio between dry and liquid raw materials is preferably to be selected so that a formed paste can be obtained after mixing. In the following typical and preferred examples on dry and raw materials are detailed.
• the one or more liquid raw materials comprising one or more of an edible oil including but not limited to one or more fish oil(s), one more vegetable oils, such as rapeseed oil, soya oil and/or sunflower oil, corn oil, coconut oil, palm oil and/or derivatives of palm oil, flax oil(s), sesame oil(s), peanut oil(s) poultry oil(s), beef fat(s) and tallow(s), shea oil(s).
• an edible oil including but not limited to one or more fish oil(s), one more vegetable oils, such as rapeseed oil, soya oil and/or sunflower oil, corn oil, coconut oil, palm oil and/or derivatives of palm oil, flax oil(s), sesame oil(s), peanut oil(s) poultry oil(s), beef fat(s) and tallow(s), shea oil(s).
• the one or more raw materials comprising a protein source, such a one or more of egg, whey, blood, pea derivative(s), beans derivative(s) and/or gelatine(s).
• the one or more dry raw materials comprising a starch source, such as corn in raw or pregelatinized form, wheat in raw or pregelatinized form and/or tapioca in raw or pregelatinized form.
• the one or more liquid raw materials comprising a lipid source, such as lecithin and/or phospholipids sources.
• the one or more dry raw materials comprises a gum source, such as a plant based gum, such as locust bean gum, xanthan gum, algae based binders and/or thickeners such as starch, modified starch and waxes, or protein based such as gelatines, egg white, collagen.
• a gum source such as a plant based gum, such as locust bean gum, xanthan gum, algae based binders and/or thickeners such as starch, modified starch and waxes, or protein based such as gelatines, egg white, collagen.
• a gum source such as a plant based gum, such as locust bean gum, xanthan gum, algae based binders and/or thickeners such as starch, modified starch and waxes, or protein based such as gelatines, egg white, collagen.
• at least one or more of these materials can be used to or assist in set the paste, as a settable substance.
• the one or more dry raw materials comprising an egg replacer, aquafaba unicellular proteins, modified cellulose and/or whey protein.
• the one or more liquid raw materials comprising fish oil with emulsifier such as soya lecithin, water and water binding agent such as glycerin or mono-propylene glycol (to reduce water activity).
• emulsifier such as soya lecithin
• water binding agent such as glycerin or mono-propylene glycol
• the one or more dry raw materials comprising a homogenous mix of fish meal, plant protein concentrate, fish protein hydrolysate, soy flour, wheat starch, protein source that coagulates and/or egg.
• the one or more dry raw materials comprising fish meal.
• the water content in the cooled set paste is between 15-30%, such as between 15-25%.
• the amount of water content of the cooled set paste may be obtained by controlling the amount of water in the liquid raw materials, by the heat treating of the formed paste and/or by drying the paste, the formed paste and/or the set paste.
• the cooled set paste is maintained, preferably until use, such as feeding fish with the cooled set paste, in un-dried condition after said cooling step or after a drying step.
• Such an un-dried condition may refer to that the cooled set paste is contained in manner preventing moisture, such as water moisture or in general water, from being transported away from the cooled set paste. In preferred embodiments, this may be provided by enclosing the cooled set paste vapour tight, such as contained in a vapour tight container or sack/bag.
• cooled set paste is drip-dried, preferably until no further liquid, such as water, drips off the said cooled set paste.
• Drip-dried preferably refers to a process in which the cooled set paste is placed on a surface and water naturally seeping out (e.g. due to gravitational forces and/or other non-forced actions) from the cooled set paste flows away.
• the surface may be a net-shaped surface with openings allowing water to flow away, and/or a corrugated surface forming open channels for drainage of water. During a drip- drying, forced convection of air may be applied.
• the dry raw materials and/or said liquid raw materials may comprise one or more microbial growth prevention agents and/or one or more water activity reducing agents.
• agents are well-known to a skilled person.
• the water content of the set paste may be relatively higher than compared to a fish feed produced in a traditional manner, while maintaining storage stability of the fish feed, which has the advantage that less energy or even no energy is needed to remove water from the set paste.
• Preferred embodiments of the invention relates to a system for producing a fish feed by one or more embodiments of a biotrusion process as disclosed herein.
• a system for producing a fish feed by one or more embodiments of a biotrusion process as disclosed herein.
• a system may comprise
• a forming device 3 configured to receive said paste from said mixer 2 and provide said formed paste:
• a heat treating device 6 configured to receive said formed paste and heat treat said formed paste to provide set said paste
• a cooling device 7 configured to receive said set past and cool said set paste.
• Item 1 A biotrusion process for producing a fish-farming fish feed, the process comprising the subsequent steps of:
• Item 2 A biotrusion process according to item 1, wherein said forming is carried out with essentially no heat addition.
• Item 3 A biotrusion process according to items 1 or 2, wherein said forming is carried out with essentially no, such as no addition of liquid or dry raw materials.
• Item 4 A biotrusion process according to any one of the preceding items, wherein said heat treating comprising subjecting said formed paste to water having a temperature between 55°C and 100°C, such as between 60°C and 80°C, preferably by placing said formed paste in said water for a predetermined first residence time, said first residence time preferably being larger 20 second, such larger than 30 seconds, preferably larger than 2 minutes and less than 30 minutes such as less than 15 minutes.
• Item 5 A biotrusion process according to any one of the preceding items 1-3, wherein said heat treating comprising subjecting said formed paste to an oil having a temperature between 80°C and 140°C, such as between 80°C and 99°C, preferably by placing said formed paste in a bath of said oil for a predetermined first residence time, said first residence time preferably being larger 20 seconds, such larger than 30 seconds, preferably larger than 2 minutes and less than 30 minutes such as less than 15 minutes.
• said heat treating comprising subjecting said formed paste to micro-wave heating, preferably by supplying a power between 40 and 140 kilowatt hour per ton formed paste.
• Item 7 A biotrusion process according to any one of the preceding items, wherein said cooling comprises arranging said set paste in an atmosphere having a temperature less than 35°C, such as less than 30°C, preferably less than 25°C, such as less than 20°C, preferably less than 15°C, such as less than 10°C, preferably less than 5°C and larger than 1°C for a predetermined second residence time, said second residence time preferably being larger than 10 minutes and less 24 hours, such as less than 60 minutes, such as less than 30 minutes, or arranging said set paste in said atmosphere for a duration of time being sufficient long to cool the set paste to a temperature being within a range of essentially 0°C and 7°C, such as within 0.5°C to 6°C, preferably as within 2°C to 5°C of the temperature of said atmosphere.
• a temperature less than 35°C such as less than 30°C, preferably less than 25°C, such as less than 20°C, preferably less than 15°C, such as less than 10
• Item 8 A biotrusion process according to any one of the preceding items, further increasing an oil content in said set paste by subjecting said set paste to an oil, preferably by immersing said set paste in a bath of said oil for a predetermined third residence time and/or subjecting said set paste to a mist of oil and/or vacuum coating and/or vacuum infusing of said set paste.
• Item 9 A biotrusion process according to any one of the preceding items, further comprising dividing said formed paste or said set paste into pellets having an equivalent radius less than 60.0 mm, preferably less than 40.0 mm, such as less than 20.0 mm, preferably less than 10.0 mm, such as less than 7.5 mm, preferably less than 5.0 mm and preferably larger than 2.0 mm, such as larger than 2.5 mm.
• Item 10 A biotrusion process according to any one of the preceding items, wherein said formed paste is an elongate formed paste having a cross section being cylindrical, circular, triangular, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, or even polygonal, or star shaped, preferably having a longitudinal through-going opening.
• Item 11 A biotrusion process according to any one of the preceding items, wherein said formed paste or said set paste is stick shaped, block shaped, pellet shaped, spherical shaped or donut shaped.
• Item 12 A biotrusion process according to any one of the preceding items, wherein said one or more liquid raw materials comprising one or more of an edible oil including but not limited to one or more fish oil(s), one more vegetable oils, such as rapeseed oil, soya oil and/or sunflower oil, corn oil, coconut oil, palm oil and/or derivatives of palm oil, flax oil(s), sesame oil(s), peanut oil(s) poultry oil(s), beef fat(s) and tallow(s), shea oil(s).
• an edible oil including but not limited to one or more fish oil(s), one more vegetable oils, such as rapeseed oil, soya oil and/or sunflower oil, corn oil, coconut oil, palm oil and/or derivatives of palm oil, flax oil(s), sesame oil(s), peanut oil(s) poultry oil(s), beef fat(s) and tallow(s), shea oil(s).
• Item 13 A biotrusion process according to any one of the preceding items, wherein said one or more raw materials comprising a protein source, such a one or more of egg, whey, blood, pea derivative(s), beans derivative(s) and/or gelatine(s).
• a protein source such as a one or more of egg, whey, blood, pea derivative(s), beans derivative(s) and/or gelatine(s).
• Item 14 A biotrusion process according to any one of the preceding items, wherein said one or more dry raw materials comprising a starch source, such as corn in raw or pregelatinized form, wheat in raw or pregelatinized form and/or tapioca in raw or pregelatinized form.
• a starch source such as corn in raw or pregelatinized form, wheat in raw or pregelatinized form and/or tapioca in raw or pregelatinized form.
• Item 15 A biotrusion process according to any one of the preceding items, wherein said one or more liquid raw materials comprising a lipid source, such as lecithin and/or phospholipids sources.
• a lipid source such as lecithin and/or phospholipids sources.
• Item 16 A biotrusion process according to any one of the preceding items, wherein said one or more dry raw materials comprising a gum source, such as a plant based gum, such as locust bean gum, xanthan gum , algae based binders, and/or thickeners such as starch, modified starch and waxes, or protein based such as gelatins, egg white, collagen.
• a gum source such as a plant based gum, such as locust bean gum, xanthan gum , algae based binders, and/or thickeners such as starch, modified starch and waxes, or protein based such as gelatins, egg white, collagen.
• said one or more dry raw materials comprising an egg replacer, aquafaba, unicellular proteins, modified cellulose and/or whey protein.
• Item 18 A biotrusion process according to any one of the preceding items, wherein said liquid raw materials comprising fish oil with emulsifier such as soya lecithin, water and water binding agent such as glycerin or mono-propylene glycol.
• emulsifier such as soya lecithin
• water binding agent such as glycerin or mono-propylene glycol.
• Item 19 A biotrusion process according to any one of the preceding items, wherein said dry raw materials comprising a homogenous mix of fish meal, plant protein concentrate, fish protein hydolysate, soy flour, wheat starch, protein source that coagulates and/or egg.
• Item 20 A biotrusion process according to any one of the preceding items, where said one or more dry raw materials comprising fish meal.
• Item 21 A system for producing a fish feed by a biotrusion process according to any one of the preceding items, the system comprising
• a mixer (2) configured to receive amounts of said dry and liquid raw materials from said silos (1) and mix the received amounts of said raw material to provide said paste;
• a forming device (3) configured to receive said paste from said mixer (2) and provide said formed paste:
• a heat treating device (6) configured to receive said formed paste and heat treat said formed paste to provide set said paste
• a cooling device (7) configured to receive said set past and cool said set paste.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
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• Animal Husbandry (AREA)
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• Proteomics, Peptides & Aminoacids (AREA)
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• 2023
  • 2023-06-30 WO PCT/EP2023/068016 patent/WO2024003358A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2023-06-30 EP EP23738448.2A patent/EP4547035A1/de active Pending
  • 2023-06-30 AU AU2023301453A patent/AU2023301453A1/en active Pending
• 2024
  • 2024-12-24 CL CL2024004025A patent/CL2024004025A1/es unknown

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