By Neil Ramsden, Undercurrent News
Biotechnology firm Vietnam Food (VNF) is keen to work with partners in other “shrimp production capitals” around the world as it strives to “valorize” as much of the farmed vannamei sector’s heads and shells as possible, it told Undercurrent News.
In Vietnam it estimates that, at present, around 1,000 metric tons of farmed shrimp per day is wasted in the form of heads, shells, and anything else not traditionally used in creating seafood products. Its goal is to turn every last part of the shrimp until all that is left is clean water that can go back into the ecosystem for aquaculture and start the circle over again.
At the very end of 2021, VNF commissioned its first commercial production line for the creation of the natural antioxidant astaxanthin, adding to its portfolio which also includes food ingredients (such as flavorings), bio-nutrients or peptides, and biopolymers, namely chitosan.
Before that, late in 2019, VNF won the “Future of Nutrition” Innovation award at the 2019 Food Ingredients Europe show in Paris. This was a bit step in terms of international recognition, Loc Phan — general director of the company, and founder of Vietnam Investments Group, which holds a stake in VNF — told Undercurrent.
“Are we open to working with other partners, in other countries? Absolutely,” added Lily Phan, VNF’s business development director.
“We’ve never believed that we should do everything by ourselves. There are so many brilliant minds and technology all around the world. And although we’re proud to say that our model is unique, it was built with a lot of partnership and strategic collaboration.”
“We’ve proven [this model] in Vietnam, but many people have asked, ‘can we do it in Ecuador? Can we do it in other shrimp capitals?’ I believe we can, and we are looking into it.”
VNF believes biotechnology can change the shrimp industries in all of the key producing nations, “and by doing so change those countries themselves; take out that invisible barrier where some industries, especially shrimp, haven’t been able to grow to their huge potential”.
She also revealed VNF was working with other parties on adapting its biotech processes for other species, such as in Germany with craysh.
“All of these animals where you have aquaculture livestock, they have a byproduct problem that can cap the industry’s growth. We’re working with them to help them transfer and learn from our technology so that they can take it out there,” she said.
The article is shared with the approval of the author (Neil Ramsden). Please refer to Undercurrent News for the original article Vietnam Foods: No reason shrimp biotech can’t boom in other production capitals – Undercurrent News