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Algae as animal feed: Spirulina

(Arthrospira) as a case in point

July 23-26, 2017 | Montréal,

Canada

Amha Belay, Ph. Damhabelay@gmail.comabelay@earthrise.com

The Natural Setting for

Growth

Hot Arid areas of the tropics and subtropics; marginal land unsuitable for conventional agriculture

Highly alkaline water with pH up to 11

Soluble NPK and trace elements from runoff and recycling

Shallow and mixed by wind

Highest productivity ever recorded for natural systems

Protein

Carbodrates

Fats

Minerals

Moisture

Arthrospira platensis

Arthrospira maxima

The DIC/Earthrise Experience

DIC Group of Companies

Siam Algae Co – 1978, Thailand (30 years), now closed

Earthrise – 1982, USA (36 years)

Hainan-DIC Microalgae Company -1996, China (21 years)

_____________________________

About 1000 dry tons of Spirulina produced/yr.

Production Process

Ecological and sustainable

production with complete

recycling of nutrients and water

Produced in a clean desert

environment where rainfall does

not disrupt production and

compromise quality and safety

Safe and sound production

process that uses no pesticides,

herbicides or other chemicals

TOTAL GLOBAL FISH/SHELLFISH

CATCH = 92 m tons (in 2003)

Human Consumption =

64 m tons (69%)Aqua-feed = 28

m tons (31%)

Why the Need for Alternative

Feeds?

*Heavy dependency of aquaculture on finfish and crustaceans

The Food-Feed Controversy

Why The Need for Alternative

Feeds?

Why Alternative Aqua-feeds?

Food and Feed Safety Concerns

Concern about BSE

Several countries banning animal protein including fish in animals to be fattened or bred for food

EU ban of fishmeal from ruminant feed

Why Microalgae as Alternative

Aqua-feeds?

High biomass yield compared to other feeds

Energy utilization efficiency – base of the trophic level

Better land, water, and energy efficiency in production

Good protein source

Good PUFA source

Good vitamin and mineral source

Good pigment source

Additional benefits other than nutritional

Antioxidant/ant-inflammatory effects

Immune defense

Antibiotic effects

Finfish Species Studied Other Species Studied

Tilapia Guppy

Oreochromis niloticus Poecilia reticulata

Carp Flounder

Cyprinus carpio Paralichthys olivaceous

Cirrhinus mrigala Mosquito fish

Catla Gambusia affinis

Labeo fimbriatus Milk fish

Labeo rohita Chanos chanos

Catfish Razorback

Ictalurus punctatus Xyrauchen texanus

Clarias batrachus Striped jack

Trout Pseudocaranx dentex

Onckorhynchus mykiss Sturgeon

Salmon Acipenser transmontanus

Salmo salar Black moly

Seabream Poecilia sphenops

Pagrus major

Rhabdosargus sarba

Abalone Shrimp

Haliotis asinina Artemia salina

Haliotis midae Artemia franciscana

Haliotis discus Penaeus merguirsis

Haliotis iris Liptopenaeus vannamei

Mussel Liptopenaeus schmitti

Mytilus galloprovincialis Fenneropenaeus indicus

Scallop

Aequipecten irradians

Prawn

Penaeus merguiersis

Macgiihrobrachium rosenberg

• Chicken

• Lamb/Sheep

• Cattle

Recent attention

Conclusions from Broiler Studies

by Evans et al.

Performance

Diets containing 6,11 and 16% algae were

statistically similar to 0% algae diet for ending bird

weight, live weight gain and feed intake

Apparent Amino Acid Digestibility

Diets containing 6,11 and 16% algae were

statistically similar to 0% algae diet for digestible

threonine and valine

Diets containing 6,11 and 16% algae were

statistically higher than the 0% algae diet for

digestible methionine and leucine values

CUMULATIVE NUMBER OF SCIENTIFIC

PUBLICATIONS ON SPIRULINA (ARTHROSPIRA)

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Source: PUBMED

Can Microalgae Offer a Viable Alternative as

Aqua-feeds? Spirulina as a model organism

Current price of Spirulina more than 10x higher than conventional feeds

Significant cost reduction needed to make it cost-competitive

Cost reductions possible if the following are achieved:

Higher productivity

Large scale systems – 2-5 acres

Unlined ponds

Free or low cost CO2

Low energy inputs for pond circulation

Low labor cost

Waste water recycling for cheaper nutrient inputs

Live feeds to reduce drying cost

High-value byproducts (the biorefinery concept)

Customer and Regulatory

Standards Quality Standards

Nutrient content

Bioactives content

Organoleptic

Safety Standards

Microbiological

Heavy metals

Pesticides and herbicides

Algal and other toxins

GMP

HACCP

AAFCO

New Product for Animal

Feed?

Spirulina Powder Linablue byproduct Powder

Protein 65% Ash < 10% Lower bulk density

Protein 45-50% Ash 25% Higher bulk density

Drivers for Future Use of Algae

Increasing world population

Dwindling wild catch putting pressure on finding alternative fish feed sources

Dwindling arable land

Climate change and water use

Sustainability issues

Alternatives to conventional feeds: plant proteins instead of meat proteins

Therapeutic effects over and above nutritional effects

Synthetic biology

Megan Molteni

Science 02.05.17

Inside the Race to Invent a

Fish-Free Fish Food

THANK YOU