Viet Nam, 2025 – The future of aquaculture is sustainable, circular, and environmentally responsible. This is the vision behind AlFunFeed, the new international project funded under the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership 2024, co-financed by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) and the European Union.
The project was unveiled to the global scientific community by Prof. Ike Olivotto of the Marche Polytechnic University (UNIVPM) during the International Conference on Fisheries and Aquaculture (ICFA 2025) held in Vietnam. His presentation sparked great interest and enthusiasm among experts and industry representatives worldwide, earning wide recognition for the project’s innovative and sustainable approach.
Officially launched on August 31, 2025, AlFunFeed aims to transform macroalgal waste into new protein sources for aquafeeds, paving the way for a circular and low-carbon blue economy. The project’s kick-off meeting followed on October 1st in Vigo, Spain, at the University of Vigo, the project coordinator, bringing together all partners to set the roadmap for implementation.
“AlFunFeed is a concrete step toward a more sustainable aquaculture,” said Prof. Olivotto. “By using proteins derived from macroalgal waste, we can reduce pressure on terrestrial resources and create new opportunities for circular innovation in the blue economy.”
Turning Algal Waste into Valuable Protein
The concept at the heart of AlFunFeed is simple yet revolutionary: using advanced biotechnology to convert macroalgal waste into Single Cell Proteins (SCP) through fungal fermentation. These SCPs will be used to formulate new aquafeeds, replacing up to 15% of conventional plant-based proteins.
In the first project phase, led by ODS Protein (Spain), three species of filamentous fungi — Neurospora crassa, Rhizopus oryzae, and Fusarium venenatum — will be tested to optimize key production parameters. The resulting feeds will be evaluated on European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax), a key species in Mediterranean aquaculture.
A European Collaboration for a Sustainable Future
AlFunFeed — officially titled “Fungal single cell protein from macroalgal waste fermentation: improving sustainability and reducing the carbon footprint of fish aquafeeds” — focuses on Priority Area PA4 – Blue Bioresources and involves four Mediterranean and Atlantic countries: Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain.
The project is coordinated by the University of Vigo (Spain), with a consortium that includes:
- Marche Polytechnic University (UNIVPM, Italy)
- ODS Protein S.L. (Spain)
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research – CIIMAR (Portugal)
- University of Thessaly – UTH (Greece)
Self-funded partners also include Federpesca (Italy), GAIN – Galician Agency for Innovation (Spain), and the Consellería do Mar – Xunta de Galicia (Spain).
UNIVPM Leads on Welfare and Communication
At UNIVPM, Prof. Ike Olivotto leads Work Package 5 (WP5), focusing on communication and outreach activities as well as participates on fish welfare analysis during feeding trials and. The research team also includes Professors Giorgia Gioacchini, Francesca Maradonna, and Elisabetta Giorgini from the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences (DiSVA).
Toward a Circular Blue Economy
Beyond its scientific and technological innovation, AlFunFeed embraces a multidisciplinary approach, including economic analysis, environmental impact assessment, and industrial scalability studies.
By giving new life to macroalgal waste, the project contributes to the goals of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, promoting a fair, circular, and resilient blue economy.
Through communication campaigns, educational programs, and stakeholder engagement, AlFunFeed will raise awareness about the importance of responsible aquaculture and marine resource conservation, bringing science closer to citizens and the next generation of researchers.
