After nine years of research in Foods of Norway, Norway's first Centre for Research-Driven Innovation in Food, Aquaculture and Agriculture can look back on significant advances in sustainable and resource-efficient feed and feed ingredients from Norwegian local bioresources.
During these years, research at the centre has led to several important advances in new feed ingredients, improvements in feed efficiency and technological breakthroughs for both blue and green sectors.
“Looking back, we are proud of the ground-breaking innovations that have transformed the sector,” says Margareth Øverland, Centre Director of Foods of Norway and Professor at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU).
Closing seminar with highlights and future perspectives
On September 24, Foods of Norway held its closing seminar in the Science Park at NMBU, where highlights from the research were presented. Many of the centre's partners in industry and commerce also spoke at the seminar. Thoughts were presented on the way forward with future perspectives on sustainable feed from a political and industrial point of view.
Forests, oceans and pastures could be our new feed store
Of the centre's many innovations, five were highlighted.
These innovations have made it possible to create high-value protein from blue and green biomass for use in livestock feed, exploit the health-promoting substances and nutritional benefits of kelp, improve ruminant utilisation of roughage, and develop methods to increase utilisation in salmon and other livestock.
Together, these innovations are in line with Foods of Norway's overall goal: to create sustainable, resource-efficient food systems that meet growing global demand while minimising environmental impact.
Wood-based microbial ingredients (MI):
The centre is pioneering the production of a sustainable feed source based on local woody biomass, an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional feed ingredients such as soy. Residues from the production of wood are broken down to cellulose and converted into sugar through a biorefining process. The sugar then becomes nutrition for yeast produced in fermenters. In its dried state, the yeast becomes feed protein of very good quality.
“The production of the feed ingredient makes us less dependent on importing feed raw materials, it does not take up agricultural land, is independent of the weather and can be produced 365 days a year,” says Øverland.
Innovations in biorefining:
Biorefining, which is used in the production of yeast, can also be applied to other biomasses. The centre's innovations in advanced biorefining processes have made it possible to convert a wide range of currently unused biomass into valuable feed products. Anything that is not allowed to be used in a food chain can, in principle, be broken down and used to nourish microbes, such as yeast, which are then harvested and used in animal feed.
“We manage to recycle the renewable biological residual flows and thus contribute to the circular bioeconomy,” says Øverland.
Kelp as feed:
Kelp is a raw material that is abundant along the Norwegian coast, and these macroalgae are full of health-promoting substances. With this vast coastal resource, Foods of Norway has integrated kelp into feed rations, utilising the nutritional and environmental benefits of macroalgae for aquaculture and livestock. Kelp needs only seawater and sunlight to grow.
“Using these macroalgae is an example of how local biomass can create the sustainable food production of the future,” says Øverland.
Improved nutritional value in grass silage:
Grass can be high in fibre that ruminants are unable to digest, especially in late-harvested grass, leading to low nutritional value. By adding enzymes and breaking down the fibres in the grass, it is possible to increase nutritional value. The enzymes make the straw feed more accessible to the cow's digestive system.
“By improving the nutritional profile of grass silage and developing methods to predict its nutritional value, we have helped to optimise feed quality for livestock and thereby increase overall productivity,” says Øverland.
Feed efficiency in salmon and farmed animals:
Recording individual feed utilisation in a cage with 100,000 fish is impossible, and the fish with the greatest weight gain are not necessarily the ones that utilise the feed best. Researchers at Foods and Norway have developed methods for detecting individual feed utilisation using stable isotopes. The isotopes are used as markers in the fish to estimate how much it has eaten in relation to its growth rate.
“With the help of new methods, we can significantly improve feed utilisation and maximise the yield of each feed unit used in fish farming and animal husbandry,” says Øverland.
Foods of Norway has trained tomorrow's scientists
An equally important goal of the centre has been to educate the next generation of researchers, equipping them to meet the challenges of the future in industry and the public sector. The scientific results prepare young researchers for a career in the circular economy, giving them the expertise they need to drive sustainable innovation in the future.
“We have educated 31 master's students and 11 PhD students and a number of researchers. Many of these now hold key positions in industries such as biorefineries, feed production and breeding in the green and blue sectors,” says Øverland.
The way forward - scaling up, with political and industrial commitment
“Through our work and research results in many peer-reviewed publications, we have contributed significantly to raising local feed production on the political agenda, and we have paved the way for a national commitment to sustainable feed. Our innovations not only reduce dependency on imported feed, but also reduce the burden on natural resources, cut emissions from transport, improve feed and food safety and promote more sustainable food production systems,” she says.
By 2034, the goal is to increase the use of Norwegian raw materials in aquafeed to 25 per cent, a significant leap from the current 8 per cent, where the rest is imported. In the livestock sector, where 55 per cent is already produced in Norway, mainly grain and grass, the goal is to increase Norwegian production to 70 per cent, strengthening Norway's commitment to sustainable, local feed for aquaculture and agriculture.
“Through our work, we have taken and are taking measurable steps towards a greener and more sustainable future in food production,” says Øverland.