The project commenced with a literature review and then an audit of the seafood processing waste estimated to have been produced in 2013 in Australia. Likely to be the most accurate assessment undertaken thus far in this field, the audit estimated different forms and feasibility of access for the waste in Australia. The resulting volumes (whilst now historic but upgradeable), with limitations, now allow a more informed evaluation of potential economic opportunities from seafood processing waste.

The results demonstrated an improvement in the operation of the SAMPI facility in shifting from acid to enzyme hydrolysis. There was a slight difference in the compositional quality, the processing times were improved and the separation of the product on standing was reduced. The original objective to extract a high quality oil was not achieved due to the changes in the raw material, the company objectives and difficulties in up-scaling the laboratory results to commercial facilities.

The experimental work, whilst defining compositional analyses and putative final product process methodologies for the tuna bones and gill plates, has not resulted in any outcomes which can be commercially explored by the SAMPI company at this time.
There are other opportunities for value-adding from fish bones, such as extraction of collagen, collagen hydrolysates and hydroxyapatine, and production of gelatin, but these were considered beyond the scope of this project and will likely be put forward as potential student projects.

The Patagonian Toothfish fishery in the Southern ocean produces up to 600 tonnes of fish waste each year. This waste presents a unique utilisation opportunity through the extraction of novel functional compounds from the viscera. There is significant evidence to suggest that the digestive enzymes from cold water fish species have lower optimal temperatures for activity than those of warm water species (Carginale, Trinchella, Capasso, Scudiero, & Parisi, 2004; Feller & Gerday, 1997; Genicot, Rentier-Delrue, Edwards, VanBeeumen, & Gerday, 1996; Somero, 1978). Psychrophilic enzymes have a number of potential uses in the food and other industries.
This project was commenced after the request for an enzyme sample from Proctor & Gamble. The hypothesised lower optimal temperature of the enzymes from Patagonian Toothfish may be highly effective in cold water laundry detergents. This project will attempt to extract and determine proteinase and lipase activity of Patagonian Toothfish digestive enzymes.

Biomax is a Singaporean company that has developed a novel enzymatic process for biological waste treatment. The dried product produced by the BIomax process can either be used as fertilizer or as a feed ingredient. The Biomax process had previously been tested on poultry and meat waste and the company were interested to see how waste fish would go in their system. Therefore Curtin worked with BIomax using fish waste as an ingredient in the process.
The Biomax process for fish is described below:
The fish waste material is loaded in a specialized digester along with BM1 enzymes at a ratio of 1ton waste to 1Kg enzymes. A dried waste material was also added (eg coconut coir, sawdust). The digester is a compact and enclosed reactor with sturdy internal mixer that ensures homogenous digestion of waste. BM1 enzymes are a specially formulated cocktail of naturally occurring microbes that break down complex organic compounds inside the waste into simpler organic matter at high speed. This waste/enzyme mix is then mixed, aerated and heated at 80oC within the digestor for the next 24 hours. After 24 hours, nutritious animal feed or fertilizer can be produced in powdery form to be discharged from a separate conveyor belt. This environment friendly zero-waste process does not produce any solid or liquid by products, only the dried product. This product is cooled for 2-3 days. The resulting product is shelf-stable at room temperature for at least 12 months.

To develop export and domestic markets, Paspaley Pearls have upgraded their commercial on board processing of the pearl adductor muscle from the Pinctada maxima pearl oyster following recommendations from these quality optimization trials. The upgraded on board process has a strong emphasis on maximizing product quality at harvest including the removal of excess moisture, chilled in an ice slurry vacuum packing and snap freezing product. The pearl meat processed with this method is called ‘harvested meat’. There are still some operations that process the pearl meat using the previous method, where there is less emphasis on quality and the meat is removed, chilled, washed and frozen in a commercial freezer in bags. The pearl meat processed using this method is termed ‘fished meat’.
There are three different grades for the pearl meat, based on the age of the shell ,each with slightly different characteristics making each size ideal for particular markets listed below:
• 1R (First Operation): 60 pieces/kg, best for restaurants. Sweeter and tenderer flesh generally harvested from younger pearl oysters. Sell for less if used for producing dried pearl meat.
• 2R (Second Operation): 45 pieces/kg, best for restaurants.
• 3R (Third Operation): 30 pieces/kg, best for producing dried pearl meat. Large and meat can be chewier.
The pearl meat currently harvested is sold to restaurants in the domestic market, with chefs serving them in raw sashimi style and cooked format. The company now has a focus to sell their product to premium food service establishments, both domestically and internationally. To export, the company must meet the requirements set by AQIS, FSANZ Food Standards Code and the regulatory requirements of the importing country. The product must have a best before date to be placed on the product before being exported. The company would also like to provide recommendations on best practice thawing and shelf-life of fresh and thawed product.

Paspaley Pearls were interested in commercialising production of the adductor muscle, a by-product of the pearl harvesting process. Samples of fresh and frozen pearl meat were subjected to different packaging and cold storage treatments and then analysed for sensory assessment and for shelf-life (Appendix 10 and 11) (Figure 16). Optimised procedures were then forwarded to the company, who subsequently purchased the appropriate shipboard processing equipment and developed protocols for addition to production documents for export and domestic markets. Such protocol are now being assessed by regulatory authorities with launch of the new products for the domestic and local markets expected in 2018.

small scale enzyme hydrolysis trials were completed on a range of species commonly sold in small retailers. These trials include Snapper, Barramundi and Atlantic Salmon. Subsequently a survey was completed with small seafood retailers about their waste (Appendix 14). The survey results indicated an interest in a solution to produce other products from waste on site, and hence a small scale hydrolysis unit, suitable for small retailers was designed by the research team and construction commissioned (see Figure 5). Whilst still being trialled, the unit has been used successfully to transform mixed product from a small retailer, and will also be used to produce enzyme hydrolysate for juvenile Barramundi feeding trials being conducted by PhD student Muhammad Abu Bakar Siddik. Trials with the hydrolysing unit will therefore be continued past the reporting stage of the project

This report presents two Cost-Benefit Analyses (CBA) for selected Australian seafood waste case studies.
Seafood waste streams offer commercial opportunities for value adding and coproduct development, in either seafood and or related industrial product markets. Dr Janet Howieson, on behalf of Curtin University, is working with the two commercial seafood processors to assess, develop and implement ways to better utilise and commercially monetise their respective seafood waste streams.
This project evaluates the two waste stream case studies (Paspaley Pearling Company, and FishTrade International) from a commercial cost-benefit viewpoint. The report summarises these cases and their commercial prospects. The report also presents a standard cost-benefit template to guide similar evaluations.