Global industrial machinery and technology provider GEA is set to design a plant that produces hydrolysed krill protein for Aker BioMarine. This Norwegian biotech company harvests krill from the Antarctic region and offers krill-based ingredients for health, aquaculture and animal feed products.
According to GEA, the facility will be the world’s first to focus on krill. Aker BioMarine will use the facility to produce highly concentrated protein isolates for use in food and beverage.
Aker BioMarine is excited to work with GEA on this innovative facility which will also be the hub for its research and innovation development.
GEA and Aker BioMarine signed an engineering, procurement and construction contract in July 2021, and the facility is projected to be up and running by late 2022.
Innovators like Aker BioMarine are unlocking new human nutrition and health sources without compromising the climate and environment, said GEA’s senior vice president of liquid technologies, Heinz-Jürgen Kroner.
Krill protein offers more than 90 percent protein content and provides a good balance of amino acids, and hydrolysates are renowned for their absorption qualities.
Specifically, the company will produce INVI, a krill-based ingredient, but it has also developed a method for converting protein flower into concentrated protein hydrolysate, which it plans to scale with the new plant.
GEA will implement its CODEX-based automation technology into the facility's design to improve efficiency and optimise product development.
GEA will also design and engineer the facility with sustainability in mind as Aker BioMarine is working towards decarbonising all its fisheries and facilities.
