How much food waste is generated in Europe?
Every year, over 58 million tonnes of food waste is generated across Europe. 53% of this waste is generated by households and 47% of food waste is generated across food supply chains.
How much seafood waste is generated across Europe?
However, it is unknown how much of this organic waste is from seafood specifically on a European scale. Estimates suggest that 36% of seafood, or harvested fish, is lost or wasted, creating 7.2-12 million tonnes of fish waste globally every year. Studies have shown that spoilage can occur throughout the seafood supply chain, from primary production to processing, distribution, retail and consumer stages. The highest levels of seafood loss and waste occur at the processing and retail level.
What can we do with this ‘waste/loss’ to turn it into value?
What circular strategies can be introduced to utilise seafood-related waste or by-products? By embracing circular solutions, seafood loss and waste can be transformed into valuable products and resources, ensuring waste is minimised. Seafood waste, includes scales, bones, fish heads, frames, viscera, and shells, which can be valorised into protein-rich meals and fish oils. These by-products contain valuable compounds such as proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and vitamins, representing a valuable resource for sustainable utilisation.
