Exploting raw materials in R&D project with Nofima

- Bringing together the best R&D institute, a marine biotechnology student and our environmental conscious company, we are able to create new sustainable solutions for the market, says Michal Meyer Nilssen, CEO at Norskin Materials

Foto: Jon-Are Berg-Jacobsen/Nofima

As the world is pulled towards a more circular economy, the demand for bio-materials are rising.

Norskin have together with Nofima, completed the first stage of a research and development study to extract gelatin from fish scales in order to create bio-plastics to be used in product packaging.

The research and development project with Nofima started mid 2021. Nofima is a leading food research institute that conducts research and development for the aquaculture industry.

- the institute found this project a very exciting one, it deals with the issue everyone is talking about, circular economy. Norskin are using every single part of the raw material and that is what we here in Marine biotechnology are all about, says Kjersti Lian, PhD Scientist at Nofima.

How it started

Norskin Materials are continuously looking for ways to improve and exploit all resources in their production, and in this case the skin is not the only resource. – During the production process we realized that the scales came off the rails, and we started investigation further into how we could utilize the scales further´ says Michal Meyer Nilssen, CEO of Norskin Materials.

After a lot of research into areas of exploitation, the company met with Nofima and started looking into extracting fish scales into gelatin.

The main goal of the project was to find a process of extracting gelatin from fish scales that could be used on a large-scale basis and perform analyzes on the product to find if it is of good enough quality so it could be included as a component in bioplastics. Sub-goals of the project included extraction of gelatin from damaged skins.

´It´s new and innovative, even though gathering gelatin is generally ´old´ research, Norskin are approaching the use of gelatin from a new angle, and that´s fun. It´s also quite rewarding to work with Norskin as they are full of energy and really enjoy and believe in their work. ´ says Kjersti Lian

In order to get more out of the research project, Nofima, in consultation with Norskin, recruited a bachelor student studying marine biotechnology to expand the trials. This resulted in a bachelor´s thesis on the extraction of gelatin from fish scales, which was a good supplement to the report.

- Bringing together the best R&D institute, a marine biotechnology student and our environmental conscious company, we are able to create new sustainable solutions for the market. says Michal Meyer Nilssen

Funded by MABIT

The project was funded by the MABIT organization, - an industrial R&D program for Marine Biotechnology in Northern Norway with the objectives of contributing to the increased value of the fishery, aquaculture and biotechnological industries.

MABIT was impressed with the way Norskin Materials works strategically, - step by step with steady partners and visibility. The application for this project was good, identifying key factors such as the exploitation of unused resources (fish skin and the use of bad fish skin) The company has clear and defined goals, they have acquired their own production premises and are serious in all their endeavors´ says the members of the MABIT program.

Phase 2:

Norskin Materials will continue research in a new project with Nofima starting October this year, the goal for the project is to use the experience and results from the MABIT project called ´Resource utilization of fish scales – extraction of gelatin for use in bioplastics´ in order to extract gelatin on a larger scale, improve the functional properties of the extracted fish gelatin by mixing with other substances in order to further develop bio-plastic for food packaging.

More information about this project will be executed by Norskin Materials at a later stage.