The omega-3 industry, which includes plant-based supplements such as those made from flaxseed and chia, is estimated to be worth US$4.3 billion by 2019. To keep up with the global demand, the aquaculture industry currently uses mass quantities of wild fish as feed - contributing to the over-fishing crisis.
Earlier this week, The United National Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said greenhouse gas emissions needed to be eliminated by the end of the century. A previous report said poor fisheries management, which has contributed to 80 per cent of the world's fish stock being fully or over exploited, is the largest threat to ocean life and habitats.
Head of LanzaTech Dr. Jennifer Holmgren said the discovery was about showing that carbon waste should be seen as a viable option for the production of fuels and resources. "A platform that can produce sustainable food and fuels economically and at scale turns the issue of food versus fuels on its head."
The executive director of IOC-DBT, Dr. D K Tuli, said a pilot plant facility would be set up in 2015 to further develop the product. "This project can be a game changer for production of omega-3 fatty acids and oil from algae in an economically viable method," he said.
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