Fishmeal is a raw material for the manufacture of animal feed, so it is important to know the manufacturing processes.

Where is fishmeal obtained from?

Fishmeal is an organic product, mainly composed of proteins. It is common to use this type of product in animal feed for the manufacture of feed because of its high energy value. In dairy cows and pigs there is a higher production when they are fed with fishmeal.

Fishmeal is obtained from fish by-products (standard quality) or whole fish (high quality). Its nutritional properties are related to the fish species used: In the United States, fishmeal is made from “Menhaden” (Brevoortia and Ethmidium genera) measuring 30 cm. In Europe, “Capelin” (Mallotus villosus) and “Herring” (20 cm) are used. In Latin America, species such as sardine (Sardinella aurita) and tuna (Tunnus sp), “yellowtail” (Cetengraulis edentulus), and “machuelo” (Opisthonema oglinum), among others, are used for fishmeal production. Anchoveta (Engraulis ringens) is sustainably produced in Peru for the manufacture of fishmeal. Peru is one of the strongest producers of anchoveta and fishmeal in the world. Anchoveta has high profitability when converted into fishmeal: for 1 kg of anchoveta, 4 kg of fish feed can be obtained.

Furthermore, the physicochemical characteristics of fishmeal can change according to the factors involved in its production. These characteristics also depend on the species of fish used as raw material and the incidence of the time of the year and the manufacturing process.

Stages of fishmeal manufacture

To obtain fishmeal, the raw material must undergo a series of processes to achieve the final product. These stages guarantee the healthiness of the fishmeal and its physical characteristics.

Before processing, when fresh fish is used and must be stored, it is recommended to use additives to prevent damage to the raw material. The use of an additive such as Alquermold Fish L preserves fresh fish stored in warehouses for fishmeal processing plants. This product controls Pseudomonas, Alcaligenes, Achromobacter, and other pathogens contaminating unprocessed fish.

After the manufacturing process starts, the following steps will be followed:

1. Grinding: The fishmeal manufacturing process starts with the grinding and drying of whole fish or parts thereof. The fish used is ground until fine material is obtained.
2. Cooking: after grinding, the material is cooked at a temperature of 100°C for 20 minutes in indirect steam. This process stops microbiological and enzymatic activity in the product and helps to separate the oil.
3. Pressing: In this process, mechanical pressing is done to separate the material into two types of phases. The liquid phase and the solid phase.
4. Decanting: in this stage, the liquid phase is decanted to recover more solid products and add them to the solid phase.
5. Centrifugation: in this procedure, the liquid phase is centrifuged. As a result, oil and water will be obtained.
6. Evaporation: the evaporation is done in the “tailwater” which is excess liquid, it is intended to reduce the volume of the product to concentrate it better and obtain solids.
7. Mixing: the solids remaining from centrifugation are mixed with the solid cake obtained from pressing until a paste is obtained.
8. Drying: Drying extracts more water from this mixture until the moisture content is reduced to 5-10%. This prevents bacteria growth and reduces chemical reactions.
9. Additives: additives such as antioxidants are added to fishmeal. For example, the additive Alquernat Antiox P and L prevents the oxidation of fats, vitamins, and carotenes in the feed.
10. Packaging: permitted antioxidants are added to the fishmeal, which is then packed in sacks for marketing. Natural additives such as Alquermold Liquid Fish Meal can also be used at this stage, which controls the growth of microorganisms in the stored fishmeal.

As a result, it is reported that for each ton of raw material (fish or by-products) 4 to 5 bags of fish meal are obtained.

Evaluation of fishmeal quality

The manufacture of fishmeal can be subjected to various evaluations and parameters measurements to know its nutritional and sanitary quality.

NUTRITIONAL PARAMETERS

1. Protein: its value should be between 55 and 65% to ensure a product of good quality and high nutritional value.
2. Fat: this parameter should not exceed 13% in fishmeal. Higher values favor flour deterioration.
3. Humidity: this measure should be between 5-10%. Excess moisture affects shelf life and sanitary quality because water favors the replication of bacteria and fungi. On the other hand, values below this favor the heating and combustion of the fishmeal.
4. Ash: its value should be less than 20%. Fishmeal is recognized for having a high value of calcium and phosphorus.

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SANITARY PARAMETERS

1. pH: should not be less than 5, it indicates the degree of chemical and physical reactions that occur in the flour.
2. Sodium Chloride: should be a maximum of 3%. Salt is used to preserve the raw material when there is no good storage chain.
3. Total Volatile Basic Nitrogen (TVBN): should be less than 125mg/100g. Flour should be stored at low temperature to avoid degradation of nitrogen compounds that increase this parameter.
4. Fiber: this value must be less than 1%, since it indicates the digestibility of the product. This is of utmost importance in poultry farming due to the size of 1-day-old chicks consuming feed.
5. Rancidity: should be less than 13meq/kg, evidence of packaging failure when oxygen enters the bags. This failure increases peroxides that degrade fishmeal.
6. Histamine: less than 20mg/10g alterations and hygienic-sanitary quality in conservation, bacteria grow and form toxic amine.
7. Microbiological analysis: fishmeal bags can be analyzed for the diagnosis of Salmonella bacteria and guarantee the safety of the product.

Benefits of fishmeal

Fishmeal is manufactured as a suitable material for mixing into animal feed. It is used for poultry, livestock, pig, and aquaculture feed. It is characterized by its high protein and energy content. However, it must be considered that the meal must be easily digestible and not have any particles that can cause harm to the animals.

Furthermore, the manufacture of this meal avoids waste from the fishing sector and makes the most of its by-products by converting them into protein and energy. This is a positive factor in the international market because it helps the environment by reducing waste while it is converted into food.

Fishmeal with an excellent manufacturing process should be stable in storage for up to six months after packaging. In airtight packaging conditions and at 27°C, during this time it should retain its organoleptic properties and protein content. These properties are important when mixed with other flours for the manufacture of animal feed.

In addition to the above, the products obtained and manufactured with fishmeal are:

• Feed for broiler chicken and laying poultry
• Feed for pigs and sheep
• Feed for beef cattle and dairy cows
• Feed for aquatic animals (shrimp, fish, among others).

Fishmeal has ideal nutritional characteristics for the manufacture of balanced feed for animal production. Its composition of 60-70% protein, 5-12% fat, and 9% moisture, make it a nutrient-rich raw material.

CONCLUSIONS

Fishmeal is one of the most important raw materials for the manufacture of animal feed. This product is obtained after several industrial stages that guarantee its safety. Its use has positive results in animal feed due to its high protein and energy value and, in addition, it mitigates the environmental impact since it uses aquaculture residues.