Marine Ingredients Market and What It is For

Many products are made or based on marine ingredients, from aquafeed, pet food, to human consumption. Marine ingredients contain organisms from the ocean such as fish, shellfish, or algae. These ingredients can provide many benefits for humans, whether through eating the farmed animals, consuming fish oil capsules, or using skincare based on marine ingredients.

There has been an increased awareness regarding the importance of these ingredients, which drive the growth of marine ingredients market. According to a research firm, GMI Research, marine ingredients market size reached USD 7,152 million in 2019 and it is expected to keep growing in the years ahead.

What is It for?

Marine ingredients are increasingly used by many sectors including pet food and skincare.

1. Aquafeed

Marine ingredients are commonly used to feed farmed fish. Fishmeal and fish oil contain essential nutrients and digestible ingredients for farmed fish, as it also serves as the primary source of omega-3 fatty acids. Even though the fish do not make these acids by themselves, they are concentrated in the fish during the food chain process. It also contains high protein ingredients, with up to 72 percent protein and up to 12 percent fat.

However, fishmeal and fish oil can pose a high cost, therefore with the presence of alternatives which are more affordable, there can be a reduction in the usage of marine ingredients in the farmed fish diets.

2. Pet food

Not only as the food for fish, but marine ingredients are also commonly used for pet food, especially for poultry and pig feed. The food and treats that are based on fish, seaweed, and other ingredients from the ocean can provide a high EPA and DHA that are good for the animals’ health. This, in turn, would also be beneficial for humans when they consume the animals.

3. Human consumption

We can also consume marine ingredients directly, by eating seafood or consuming marine health supplements or fish oil capsules. The EPA and DHA contained in the marine ingredients are important for human health as they contain vitamin D, zinc, among others. These essential nutrients can help to improve bone health and enhance the immune system.

4. Skincare

Recently, marine ingredients are widely used for skincare and personal care as well, as it offers numerous benefits. Marine ingredients can help to minimize skin inflammation with its magnesium, omega, and zinc. These minerals can work as an anti-inflammatory and will create epidermal barrier that can reduce skin inflammation. Products that are based on sea ingredients also contain vitamin B and C that can make your skin look brighter, remove dark spots or pigmentation on the skin. In addition, this skincare serves as an anti-aging as it can prevent wrinkles and add to skin elasticity. The ingredients that are commonly used are algae that can strengthen skin, sea salt that helps as a moisturizer to the skin, among other functions.

Get to Know Marine Collagen

In the skin care industry, there is a new trend of marine collagen. Collagen is an essential protein that can be found in bones or skin. Unfortunately, our body is producing less collagen as we age, that can result in wrinkles and other health issues.

Many collagen products use cow or pig skin as the source. With the innovation, there has been fish collagen that are suitable among specific consumers. Some consumers prefer marine collagen based on religious reasons, as they are prohibited to use or consume cows and pigs. In addition, there are also consumers who are worried about diseases that are sourced from pigs or cows.

The Sources

Marine ingredients can be made from two kinds of sources.

1. Small pelagic species

Peruvian anchovy and Engraulis ringens dominate the small pelagic species as they provide abundant of raw materials. Another species includes sardine, mackerel, krill, and other species.

2. By-products

To reduce waste, by-products can also be used to make marine products such as fishmeal or fish oil which offer relatively the same amount of benefits as small pelagic species. IFFO estimates that by-products account for about 31% of the world's production of marine ingredients. To be more specific, by-products make up around 27 percent of fishmeal and 48 percent of fish oil.

Despite its importance for farmed fish or humans, there are some challenges that may hinder the growth of this market. Maintaining a sustainable supply for marine organisms can be challenging. Furthermore, it can also be difficult to identify and explore marine compounds while maintaining safety and sustainability, which may slow down the development of marine ingredients market.