What is the FRAP Unit develpped by Bythos Extend project?

The Bythos Extend project is a capitalization project, funded by the Interreg Italia-Malta cooperation programme.

It developed a mobile Fish Residue Automated Processing (FRAP) unit capable of integrating an innovative, biotechnology-based circular economy supply chain using side streams from the fish processing industry in Sicily and Malta.

The FRAP unit uses fresh fish residues to create a stable product that can be stored at room temperature for weeks until ready for further processing, thus preventing the need for costly refrigeration or disposal.

This innovative portable unit is particularly suitable for smaller islands, small ports, and micro-small enterprises, where the amount of fish residue produced is not sufficient to justify a large investment in industrial fish flour and oil transformation facilities.

The FRAP unit, built by the University of Palermo, was piloted on the island of Lipari this year at the Bythos laboratory, where a fish-residue collection system was designed and tested, involving local fish processing companies.  The extraction protocols developed by the Bythos Project were then tested on the FRAP pre-treated liquid to produce high-added-value products.

The FRAP was moved to Malta for a demonstration event aimed at addressing the problem of jellyfish proliferation during the spring and summer months. The FRAP jellyfish liquid is rich in protein and collagen and has the potential for various medical, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and/or feed applications.

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