For over three decades, Soja de Portugal has been immersed in the blue bioeconomy, shaping the course of animal nutrition, particularly in aquaculture. Anticipating regulatory changes and seeking new protein sources, the company has consistently excelled in innovation. Five questions for António Isidoro, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Soja de Portugal and Vice-President of B2E CoLAB.

What are the main results of Soja de Portugal’s work within the blue bioeconomy?

Soja de Portugal joined the blue bioeconomy ecosystem in 1989, when we established a protocol with ICBAS to be the industrial partner in a project aimed at initiating salmon production in Portugal. From that moment on, we dedicated ourselves to developing extensive work in the area of ​​animal nutrition. In 1993, we made our first commercial sale of aquaculture feed. Thus, over the last 30 years, we have created nutritional solutions for farmed fish, covering various species. We started with species primarily from the Mediterranean area, such as sea bream and sea bass, but later expanded to other varieties. A significant milestone occurred at the end of 2006 with the acquisition of Savinor, at which point we gained control of the area of ​​co-products derived from meat and fish. We were then able to reintroduce raw materials derived from these co-products, such as fish oil and fishmeal, into animal nutrition, especially in aquaculture.

This is a project in the field of the blue bioeconomy developed by Soja de Portugal, of which we are proud.

One of the moments when we became a differentiator was in 2013, with the legislative changes that allowed us to use processed animal proteins, namely poultry meat meal and feather meal, as raw materials in the production of animal feed. We managed to anticipate these changes in legislation and, therefore, on the day it came into effect, we were able to produce raw materials that had previously been restricted. We were already using these raw materials, but their only destination was pet food. Changing this paradigm added value to these resources. This work began in 2010, carried out by the AquaSoja technical team, in the preparation and testing phase for market presentation. It was a very important milestone in terms of innovation.

A project or idea you would like to implement in the blue bioeconomy?

Anything involving new protein sources, such as insects, an area we are already working in, and algae, for example. There are several projects under development and we will continue working to anticipate any legislative changes, including the possibility of using meat meal, especially that from mammals, something that remains prohibited by law. Anything that represents new protein sources is a path to follow.

How do you envision the blue bioeconomy in 30 years?

I envision an ever-increasing protection of scarce marine resources, with the preservation of traditional sources of marine raw materials and the discovery of new sources that can be derived from the sea, such as algae, for example, and other potential sources still unknown. There is a growing awareness of the need to replace raw materials from scarce resources with others, maintaining or even surpassing the results. The growing need to produce more food sustainably, considering population growth, will be viewed from a much more sustainable perspective from an environmental, economic, and biodiversity standpoint.

What is the importance of the work carried out by B2E CoLAB?

Savinor and Sorgal, from the Soja de Portugal group, became founding partners of B2E CoLAB because we have always maintained a collaborative and innovative approach with institutions. We were invited by Professor Luísa Valente and we accepted because we believe that innovation does not develop solely through internal mechanisms, with large laboratories and extensive teams. We embraced this challenge because we understand the importance of collaboration in business growth, uniting the business and scientific contexts. B2E CoLAB represents a kind of start-up, and its relevance lies in the crucial role it plays in linking the business context in which we operate with the entire scientific context that supports development in the blue bioeconomy. Portuguese companies must be aware that they will not be able to progress alone and must take advantage of the knowledge available in Portugal.