Denmark gets the world’s first starfish plant

The company Danish Marine Protein converts starfish into organic protein, and the new plant is the first full-scale facility of its kind in Denmark – and the world.

Organic farming is in rapid growth in Denmark, but the sector is facing a challenge on how to obtain sufficient organic protein feed for their animals. A solution to the problem might be to transform e.g. starfish to environmentally friendly animal feed. Just now, the world’s first starfish factory has been completed in Skive in Jutland, as part of an initiative aiming to make organic animal feed in a sustainable way.

Danish Marine Protein harvest and dry starfish from the big Danish fjord Limfjorden, where the starfish are an increasing problem for mussel production. After they dry the starfish they turn them into a marinebased protein supplement for organic animal feed.

The plant will be the first of its kind in Denmark – and in the world. The production solves the problem of starfish, which invades the Limfjorden, eats the fjord’s clams and thus threatens the export of these. The starfish get transformed into a high quality protein supplement for organic animal feed, which various types of organic farmers are requesting.

“We have an opportunity to create local production of sustainable protein, which at the same time addresses a local problem,” says Director of West Jutland’s Share and Chairman of Danish Marine Protein, Steen Bitsch. He continues: “In addition, we can directly benefit from the industrial symbiosis at GreenLab Skive, using excess heat from other production processes in our dehydration. This location is a win-win situation in more ways than one.”

“We have worked with the idea for several years and have always been able to see the potential, however now we are ready for a full-scale production,” says director of Danish Marine Protein, Niels Jørgen Hedeager Madsen.

Source: Food Supply and GreenLab Skive