Producers from Las Varillas delivered 12 kilos of shrimp heads to the Zuliano Institute of Technological Research Foundation (INZIT) in Venezuela. These shrimp heads are set to play a role in the production of balanced food formulas for farmed fish.

Utilizing Agro-Industrial Waste

The initiative aims to utilize agro-industrial waste as a source of protein, a move that aligns with the research on Alternative Protein Banks for animal feed. This project, in line with the Bolivarian Economic Agenda directed by President Nicolás Maduro Moros, seeks to enhance the agri-food engine in the region.

The project, spearheaded by the Agri-Food and Environment Coordination attached to the Research Management of the INZIT Foundation, focuses on several key objectives:

• Evaluating the microbiological and nutritional quality of local alternative raw materials for fish feed formulation.
• Characterizing silages from agroindustrial waste for the formulation of diets for farmed fish.
• Formulating balanced diets for farmed fish at different stages of growth.

Seeking Alternatives to Conventional Raw Materials

One of the primary aims of the project is to explore alternatives to conventional raw materials like fish meal. Optimization of the fermentation process is essential to improve the final product used in the manufacture of fish food.

The work undertaken by INZIT holds promise in reducing environmental pollution while providing an efficient and economically viable alternative for animal feed production.