At the 39th EFFoST International Conference held in Porto between 17 and 19 November 2025, IMPRESS hosted a special session titled “From Waste to Wealth: Upcycling Seafood Side Streams and Underutilised Aquatic Species in the Blue Bioeconomy”, chaired by Dr. Brijesh Tiwari, IMPRESS coordinator. The session featured five key presentations from leading experts:
“Transforming seafood side streams through technological innovation”, by Brijesh Tiwari (Teagasc)
“Haddock fish cakes enriched with mince of Baltic Sprat: Challenges and possibilities”, by Revilija Mozuraityte (SINTEF Ocean)
“Innovative ‘clean-label’ products to promote low-trophic aquatic species and overcome barriers to their consumption”, by Milica Pojic (FINS)
“Strategies for the valorisation of crustacean by-products through emerging technologies and formulation strategies”, by Pietro Rocculi (Alma Mater Studiorum, Università di Bologna)
“Valorisation of food side-streams for the cultivation of microalgae and seaweed as sources of novel high-value ingredients”, by Maria Jose Chapela Garrido (ANFACO-CYTMA)
The session showcased practical and technological innovations that transform seafood biomass traditionally regarded as waste, such as crustacean shells, fish bones and skin, cooking and processing waters, and low-value species, into high-value ingredients and sustainable food products.
Topics covered novel and greener extraction methods for proteins, peptides, lipids, chitin, and chitosan, and innovative food product concepts, including nutrient-enriched fish cakes, clean-label fish products free from synthetic additives, and seaweed-based snacks tailored for consumer demand for natural and sustainable foods.
Promising advances were also presented in the use of high-pressure processing and ultrasound to enhance the efficiency and reduce the resource intensity of chitin and chitosan recovery. In parallel, the use of food industry liquid side streams, including brines and cooking water, was shown to be an effective approach for cultivating microalgae and seaweed, unlocking new sources of functional ingredients.
The session highlighted the untapped potential of seafood side streams and low-trophic aquatic species as key enablers of circular bioeconomy models, which contribute to resilient, zero-waste food systems aligned with sustainability and climate action goals.
Original article by Dr Milica Pojić, Principal Research Fellow at the Institute of Food Technology, University of Novi Sad, Serbia (FINS).
Edited by the reframe.food team.
Photos courtesy of Teagasc.