To enhance net resource efficiency in aquatic feed production, it is important to understand and quantify contributions from all significant factors, including nutritional and technical quality, energy usage, water usage, equipment wear, and emissions. Drawing parallels with industry standards from pet food manufacturing (FEDIAF), traits of environmentally sustainable yet economically viable aquafeed manufacturing can be identified.
Recent years of global events brings massive market pressure for producing high quality feed for the aquaculture industry at decreasing operational costs. Aquafeed manufacturing faces constant changes in consumer demands and fluctuations in the raw material market. Therefore, flexible, resilient and agile extrusion and drying systems are needed, to be able to deliver on nutritional- and technical qualities, while at a minimum wear and utility expense. These systems are characterized by high up-times, meeting required thermal/electrical energy inputs, as specified from formulation and raw materials, and ultimately yield low variability on moisture and nutrient density.
The optimization of net resource efficiency in aquafeed processing is driven by nutritional quality, technical quality, wear, as well as processing efficiency for utility consumption. In this context, recent advances in extrusion and drying systems will be discussed. This includes capabilities of unique screw designs, mapping of extrusion variables for technical quality as well as a display of how drying parameters can be fruitfully optimized and automated.
Establishing and mapping these components can form the basis for a methodology one can follow to determine where to focus efforts. This approach aligns with cradle-to-grave system boundaries, enabling a comprehensive evaluation of environmental footprint. Consequently, a proposed investment’s impact on both net resource efficiency and environmental sustainability can be better understood.