When the raw material contains POPs, the fishmeal and fish oil must be decontaminated. Fiskeriforskning has tested new technology to find the most efficient and cost effective cleaning methods.
Fish oil replaces hexane
Today, fishmeal is decontaminated using the solvent hexane, which is both toxic and inflammable. This must be done in a separate plant. In the process, POPs are separated together with the fish oil, which then must go through a cleaning process afterwards.
The new technology from Fiskeriforskning replaces hexane with fish oil and integrates the decontamination in the fishmeal production process. The result is that over 90 percent of the POPs in the meal can be removed, and at lower costs.
More nutrient-rich meal
The new fishmeal has a lower level of POPs compared to meal decontaminated with hexane. It also contains more polyunsaturated fat, which makes it more nutrient-rich. Otherwise, the meal has the same properties as regular fishmeal.
The legislation for maximum allowable levels of dioxin and PCBs in fish oil and fishmeal will be revised in 2007, and the goal is to set the limits considerably lower than today's.
In July, Fiskeriforskning installed a new decontamination plant, and can thus help the industry with the foremost in technology to remove POPs from marine and vegetable raw materials.
The Research Council of Norway and Fiskeriforskning have financed the new plant.
