Copyright LY2023W04325 

In contemporary fish farming practices, fish farmers now incorporate alternative protein sources in addition to commercial fish pellets. Additional sources, such as chicken intestines, coconut dregs, and other waste materials, supplement the diet of fish, particularly tilapia and catfish.

While these alternatives are cost-effective and rich in protein, direct feeding poses challenges, leading to odor pollution and limited storage.

To address these limitations, this project introduced an innovative drying system to accommodate a wide range of materials for fish feed formulation. This project involves designing and constructing a vertical drying rack, named Multi-Layered Aqua Mate Dryer (MAMADry), specifically designed for fishmeal pellet formulation.

The dryer features a multi-layered design and a continuous airflow system, ensuring efficient and rapid drying while maintaining optimal control over environmental factors. This innovative drying system can be implemented in fish farms that offer a significantly improved drying system for independently producing fishmeal pellets. Fish farmers can effectively reduce costs associated with commercial pellet production while ensuring a more efficient drying process.

The MAMADry was proven to have more advantages over the conventional drying process. This project provides detailed information and a step-by-step manual on the construction and designation of the drying rack that fish farmers can implement easily. This research also explores the potential of utilizing Giant Salvinia and Water Hyacinth, both invasive floating plants that contribute to overcrowding in fish cages. These plants have been discovered with substantial protein content, making them promising candidates for incorporation into fish feed.

This study aims to evaluate the viability of the proposed multi-layered drying rack system in drying fishfeed pellets. By harnessing these plants' nutritional value, we aim to optimize fish diets and contribute to managing their invasive growth, offering an eco-friendly solution for sustainable fish farming practices.

Advantages 

Current practice by fish farmers is direct feeding of alternative sources of protein, such as chicken intestines, coconut dregs, and other waste materials.

This is to supplement the fish diet, but this direct feeding poses challenges, leading to odor pollution and limited storage.

The MAMADry was proven to have more advantages over the conventional drying process.

It provides faster drying than the conventional method while protecting the dried materials from environmental factors and improving hygiene control for the final product

TRL 5

Market Potential

1. Fish industry for drying fish crackers, dry fish/squid
2. Fish farmers for drying fish pellets or for drying fish

Inventor

Prof. Ir. Dr. Hasfalina Binti Che Man

Faculty of Engineering

hasfalina@upm.edu.my

Tarikh Input: 30/10/2023 | Kemaskini: 30/10/2023 | asrizam