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aquaculture is a sector with great growth potential — over 400 million euros (nearly $470 million) in revenue in 2023 across 800 production sites throughout Italy — in which the use of animal proteins is already underway. In fish farming, nonruminant PAPs (from poultry and pork) is already used. However, current quantities are insufficient to meet the demand for feed, leading to reliance on vegetable proteins and fishmeal, which Italy and Europe are forced to import.
“A broader use of PAPs would help reduce imports and increase the economic sustainability of the sector,” Valugani said. “In Europe, this is increasingly being requested.”
An example is Norway, where aquaculture is a major economic sector. The national food safety agency recently wrote to the European Commission, citing scientific data confirming the minimal risks from BSE and requesting a new assessment from the European Food Safety Authority, on the current situation.
Fish consumption, recommended by nutritionists for its lightness and lower caloric content has increased significantly in recent years. In Italy, the annual per capita consumption of fish averages around 30 kilograms (66 pounds), which results in the country’s reliance on imports — 75% of the fish on Italian tables comes from abroad — and on aquaculture.
This sector was highlighted by Andrea Fabris, general director of the Italian Fish Farmers Association (API). “Aquaculture, and in particular fish farming, plays an important role in providing a food source with high nutritional value, as also affirmed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations,” he said. “The availability of raw materials derived from circular economy processes can further enhance the sustainability of our activity. The constant control and traceability of PAPs ensure food safety, contributing to the improvement of feed formulations that can increasingly meet the physiological and welfare needs of farmed fish. Another achievable goal is the growing social acceptance of aquaculture, which can meet consumer demands and preferences.”
Lea Pallaroni, general director of the National Association of Animal Feed Producers (Assalzoo), added, “Access to a wider range of protein raw materials is now a strategic priority for the feed sector. In this context, and in light of European regulations governing their production, PAPs represent not only a safe and valuable resource, but an essential ingredient — especially considering that Italian aquaculture is mainly focused on carnivorous species.”
While maintaining the requirement — so far ensured by legislation — that any regulatory opening must be based on scientific evidence safeguarding both animal and consumer safety, extending the use of PAPs from ruminants would bring a twofold benefit: increased availability of the product and simplification in the use of PAP from pigs as well, thereby reducing dependence on imported protein raw materials such as fishmeal and soybean meal.
The experience of reopening the use of PAPs from pigs and poultry after 10 years have passed between the regulatory change and their actual implementation demonstrates the importance of large-scale retail’s early involvement to share a common path forward. In the face of European constraints, competition from non-EU countries severely penalizes the Italian rendering industry.
“Unable to count on adequate consumption, we export ruminant PAPs all over the world,” noted Dario Dinosio,
www.rendermagazine.com
Assograssi’s deputy vice president. “Our fish farmers, on the other hand, have to suffer foreign competition and also spend more due to imports. Yet, replacing fishmeal and vegetable proteins, which are currently predominant in aquaculture feed, would have strong benefits on the industry’s balance sheets. Thanks to ruminant PAPs, aquaculture could count on greater availability of raw materials. This would benefit not only rendering companies and feed producers but would also reduce final costs for fish farmers, making their business more sustainable and profitable.”
The widespread use of ruminant proteins would also strengthen the circularity of the rendering and aquafeed sector. “The advantages are many and obvious,” explained Luca Papa, the vice president of Assograssi. “There would be greater independence from imports, a lower carbon footprint — therefore greater environmental sustainability — and, in general, much lower production costs for the entire PAPs supply chain if we could count on greater quantities of raw materials
for feed produced in Italy and not imported.”
However, Papa also reminded the audience, “It is necessary
to explain the sustainability of these products to the consumer with adequate labeling describing our companies’ commitment to sustainability and the circularity of our
production processes.”
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Paolo Valugani, president of Assograssi
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