bioACTive
Bioactive herbs for feed and packaging
The objective is to increase value in the Norwegian agricultural sector by producing bioactive compounds (phytogens) for addition to feed and packaging materials.
Start
01. Jan 2021
End
31. Dec 2023
Funded by
Norwegian Research Council
Cooperation
Nofma AS, Skretting Aquaculture research centre AS (Stavanger), Norgesfôr AS, Frøvoll gård Torleif Todnem, Bosheimsmarken, NIBIO (Norsk Institutt for Bioøkonomi), Vetrinærinstituttet, PlantChem AS, Petru Poni Institute of macromolecular chemistry (Romania)
Other Participants:
Sissel Albrektsen
Christian Renè Karlsen
Elisabeth Ytteborg
Aleksei Krasnov
Nusrat Sharmin
Objectives
The main objective is to increase value in the Norwegian agricultural sector by producing bioactive compounds (phytogens) for addition to feed and packaging materials.
By doing this, we aim at increasing shelf life of salmon feed, reducing winter ulcers in farmed fish, improving the health and intestinal flora in poultry, and designing biodegradable and antimicrobial packaging materials.
Research plans
Effect of e.g., variety, cultivation system and climatic factors on concentration of bioactive compounds will be studied in the nine herb species oregano, yarrow, peppermint, hops, roseroot, maral root, sweet wormwood, purslane, and rosemary.
Bioactive compounds will be extracted and tested for antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. The most potent extracts and active substances are selected based on unspecified (metabolomic) and targeted biochemical analyzes, laboratory tests and in experiments with salmon and chicken.
Effects of additives in fish feed will be investigated in laboratory models, to determine the antimicrobial activity of herbal extracts and their fractions on the growth of pathogens for salmon.
Effects will be measured on growth, health and immunity of salmon, and effects on specific tissues such as head, kidney, skin, intestines and blood.
Effects from extracts added to feed for boilers will be investigated in laboratory studies and in a feeding experiment with broilers.
The effects will be documented on performance, levels of intestinal pathogens, intestinal inflammation (necrotic enteritis lesions) and immune cells in peripheral blood and intestinal tissue.
Packaging
The third use of the extracts is to design new packaging materials for the food industry where antimicrobial herbal extracts are inserted into the packaging using technologies such as high-pressure treatment, ultrasound and electrospinning. The objective is for the antimicrobial properties to inhibit bacterial growth, increase shelf life and food safety in the product.
Publications
Press release