Pet food made with tuna to create added value

The Thai Tuna Industry Association (TTIA) and the Thai Pet Food Trade Association (TPFA) recently showcased their products at THAIFEX - ANUGA ASIA 2023, confirming Thailand’s position as the leading producer and exporter of high-quality products.

The event also focused on creating added value from food loss and waste derived from tuna. These are used to produce premium-grade pet food for export, specifically for dogs and cats, using the BCG concept to ensure the efficient use of resources and generate added value for various product types.

In 2023, the focus is on applying the concepts of the Bioeconomy, Circular Economy, and Green Economy (BCG Model) in the tuna and pet food industries to maximize the most valuable production outcomes. This involves utilizing the full potential of tuna, namely:

• Utilising waste to create added value as other products, such as extracting concentrated broth from tuna fish scraps, to be used as an added ingredient for increasing protein content and palatability in pet food products (Bio Economy);

• The direct production of pet food from tuna fish meat or the utilisation of internal parts, such as fish bones and offal, as mixed raw materials in pet food, including the extraction of tuna fish oil (Circular Economy);

• Investments in renewable energy, clean energy, and energy-saving technologies, for example, installing solar rooftops to convert solar energy into heat energy for cooling systems and water heating, developing environmentally friendly packaging that can be recycled and reused, utilizing recycled products, such as paper boxes, and encompasses the research and development of packaging made from bioplastics (Green Economy)

According to data from the Commerce Ministry, in 2022, Thailand exported 514,071 tons of tuna, generating a value of over 79.4 billion baht. In addition, wet pet food for dogs and cats (TPFA Wet pet food) was exported in a quantity of 336,309 tons, creating a value of over 52.02 billion baht.