The case in summary: Nofima is researching whether nutrients in cod’s semen can have positive effects related to lifestyle diseases such as cholesterol, diabetes and blood pressure-related problems. Cod milk can potentially be used as oils, protein powders and vitamins for humans. The research is a collaboration between Nofima, NTNU, Nuas Technology and Nord-Senja Fisk AS. The method used to utilize the nutrients in cod milk is called enzymatic protein hydrolysis. The process that mimics the one that happens in the human stomach. Cod milk has previously been mainly used for animal feed, but is also used for food in Asia. Nuas Technology is developing a mobile hydrolysis plant for the test production of, among other things, protein powder from cod milk. The facility will be set up at Nord-Senja Fisk in Botnhamn on Senja. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. While the liver and roe of the cod are considered delicacies, the cod sperm is today primarily used for animal feed. At the research institute Nofima’s lab in Tromsø, they are now testing whether nutrients in the cod’s semen can have positive effects related to lifestyle diseases. – What we are going to test is what effect it can have in relation to cholesterol, diabetes and blood pressure regulation, says researcher Birthe Vang. The cod milk is sorted at Senja and sent to Tromsø to be under the researchers’ scrutiny. She is among the researchers looking into whether the product, which is best known as cod milk, can be used as oils, protein powders and vitamins for us humans. – We make a protein powder. We hope it will be able to be used either alone, as an ingredient or enrichment product like other protein powders. The project started earlier this year. This is what pure cod milk looks like before it is processed, dried and ground into protein powder. Photo: Nofima Copies the body’s method Together with NTNU, the trønder company Nuas Technology and the fish farm Nord-Senja Fisk AS, Nofima is developing a method to be able to utilize the “super substances” for male cod. The substances in the cod milk in question are proteins, fat and DNA. The latter is important because cod milk can be used for cooking. Facts about milk Milk is a common term for the male fish’s semen/sperm. Cod milk of the best quality (fresh and light) is today used for human consumption, mainly used in sushi for the Asian market. The rest mainly goes to silage, which in turn becomes animal feed. In the same way as other marine raw materials, cod milk contains proteins and fats of good quality with many possible uses, where the highest paying ones are human consumption and pet food – feed for pets. Cod milk is also known as a source of DNA, and a small volume of cod milk is used today for the production of nucleic acids. Source: Store norske lexikon and Nofima The method they use on the lab is called enzymatic protein hydrolysis. – It is essentially the same process that takes place inside the stomach of humans. Now that we eat food, we have enzymes that cut up proteins and other nutrients into smaller pieces. That is so that the body can absorb them. Researcher at Nofima in Tromsø, Birthe Vang. Photo: Erik Waagbø / news They do the same with the cod milk. They add water and some enzymes, cut up the cod milk and make it water-soluble in a liquid phase. – Then we can take the liquid phase and dry it. Then we get the protein powder. She says that the cod milk contains raw material that is very nutritious. This is what the dried cod milk protein powder will probably look like. They have not progressed so far in the process that the protein powder has been tested for food. Photo: Erik Waagbø / news Has gone to animal feed They get the cod sperm itself from the sea’s feast table. At the moment, there is a full roll of skreil deliveries from the fishermen. Around 70–80 tonnes of cod milk are sorted on the assembly line at Nord-Senja Fisk. Most of it ends up far from people’s dinner plates. – In some cases it goes together with fish sloe. It goes to animal feed, says managing director Egil Johansen. General Manager at Nord-Senja Fisk AS, Egil Johansen. Photo: Kari Anne Skoglund / news The Fish Reception in Botnhamn is one of the contributors to the two-year research project. Johansen thinks it is exciting to be part of a process that could end up with Norwegians also eating cod milk. – I have been a fish buyer for over 30 years, and know cod milk well. Now they are going to pick out some “super substances”, which can really be exciting to see the results of, he says. Cod sperm, like liver and roe, are sorted on the assembly line. Photo: Kari Anne Skoglund / news Food in China In Nord-Senja, they are not completely unfamiliar with cod milk as food. Because they pack, freeze and send a few tonnes to China every year. – In the same way that we are used to eating mølja, liver and roe, they are used to eating it. We just don’t have a tradition of eating cod milk, says Johansen. While we consider skreimølje with liver and roe to be a delicacy, we do not have a tradition of eating cod milk. But the Chinese do, says Johansen. Photo: Kari Anne Skoglund / news Researcher Vang confirms that cod sperm is used, among other things, for sushi on the Asian market. She explains that cod milk has an umami taste. – It looks a little different than we might be used to. But we who have worked with it at the lab are not deterred. After all, we eat roe, which is the counterpart of ho cod. Would you eat cod milk? Yes, I would like to try it as sushi like in Asia 🍣 Well, but perhaps preferably as a processed raw material 🥘 Yes, how about supplementing the oil with cod milk? 🐟 No, otherwise thank you 😖 Show result Fisherman Herbjørn Fyhn from Meløy in Nordland is one of those who deliver skrei on the quay in Botnhamn. He thinks it is positive that research is being conducted into new uses for cod. – It is good to make use of everything that is available. He doesn’t mind if it also means he gets more money for the fish. – It can be, if it becomes lucrative. Fisherman Herbjørn Fyhn from Meløy in Nordland. Photo: Kari Anne Skoglund / news New factory with more possibilities Nuas Technology is developing a mobile hydrolysis plant, which they will use for test production to make, among other things, protein powder from cod milk. It will be set up in Botnhamn in one year’s time. – We hope we can extract these super substances. For us, it’s hugely exciting, says Johansen. The fishing boat “Isbjørn” Botnhamn to deliver the day’s scree catch. Photo: Kari Anne Skoglund / news Until next year, it will be set up at the fish farm. – We hope the hydrolysis plant will also represent year-round operations. Not only on fish milk, but on various by-products and residual raw materials, says Johansen. Cod milk is mostly used for animal feed. But it contains nutrients that scientists believe can provide health benefits for humans.
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Researching cod sperm to combat lifestyle diseases – news Troms and Finnmark
