by Priyal Shah, International Petfood
As premium petfood continues to evolve beyond basic nutrition, ingredient suppliers are increasingly being challenged to deliver products that combine functionality, digestibility, traceability and sustainability. Marine-derived ingredients, particularly hydrolysates, are gaining attention for their ability to meet several of these demands simultaneously.
For manufacturers targeting sensitive-diet, therapeutic and high-performance formulations, marine hydrolysates offer a concentrated source of bioavailable nutrients while also supporting broader trends around pet humanisation, wellness-focused feeding and responsible sourcing.
According to Morocco-based seafood processor and ingredient supplier Blue Fish Factory (BFF), the growing demand for premium pet nutrition is creating significant opportunities for marine hydrolysates with enhanced functional characteristics.
Dominique Corlay, an animal feed expert, highlights that modern pet owners increasingly expect products that support coat quality, digestion, cognitive health and overall wellbeing. In this context, marine hydrolysates are being positioned not simply as protein sources but as multifunctional ingredients capable of contributing to health and performance outcomes.
Corlay explains, “Low molecular weight peptides reduce allergenicity — a critical attribute as sensitive-diet formulations represents one of the fastest-growing segments of the premium petfood market. Their smaller size allows for more efficient absorption in the gut, improving nutrient bioavailability and reducing the metabolic cost of digestion. Finally, marine hydrolysates are strong palatability enhancers.”
As Corlay explained that one of the key differentiators lies in peptide size. Hydrolysates with low molecular weight peptides — generally below 5-6 kDa — are associated with improved absorption and digestibility. Beyond nutrient delivery, these smaller peptides are also being studied for their potential bioactive effects, including their role in supporting cellular development and metabolic function.
This shift reflects a wider movement in premium petfood towards ingredients that deliver measurable physiological benefits rather than serving purely nutritional roles.
Digestibility and sensitive-diet applications
Digestibility has become an increasingly important metric in pet nutrition, particularly as demand rises for products tailored to food sensitivities and digestive disorders.
BFF’s HYDROMAX marine hydrolysate has been developed with this market in mind, says Zakaria Mediouni, BFF’s Managing Director. The ingredient reportedly contains 90 percent peptides below 5 kDa and delivers peptic digestibility of approximately 95 percent, characteristics that make it particularly suitable for therapeutic and hypoallergenic formulations.
Such low molecular weight peptides are more readily absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract, helping reduce digestive stress while improving nutrient bioavailability. This can contribute to better feed conversion efficiency, reduced digestive waste and improved skin and coat condition — attributes highly valued in premium petfood categories.
As therapeutic nutrition becomes a larger segment within the companion animal sector, ingredient consistency and functional reliability are becoming critical selection criteria for formulators.
Adding value through processing integration
Marine hydrolysates are also drawing attention for their role in improving resource efficiency within seafood processing chains.
Rather than directing by-products from fish destined for human consumption into lower-value fishmeal production, processors are increasingly upgrading these materials into higher-value nutritional ingredients through enzymatic hydrolysis.
“Rather than routing our canning by-products into commodity fishmeal, we have invested in upgrading them into premium hydrolysates through enzymatic processing on the same industrial site,” shares BFF’s Omar Rharbaoui, Head of Strategy & Development.
BFF operates an integrated model in which fish sourced for canning is processed on-site into marine hydrolysates. This proximity between raw material generation and hydrolysate production helps maintain freshness, consistency and traceability while enabling tighter quality control throughout processing.
Rharbaoui continues, “The model creates genuine added value at two levels: for the petfood sector, it provides a traceable, high-quality marine ingredient with a verified origin; for us, it maximises the value extracted from a resource that would otherwise be underutilised.”
The approach reflects a broader industry trend toward maximising value extraction from marine resources while reducing waste streams. For petfood manufacturers, this also provides access to marine ingredients with clearly identified origins and controlled production parameters.
Traceability and responsible sourcing
Traceability is becoming a defining issue in premium petfood procurement, particularly as consumers increasingly scrutinise ingredient origins and sustainability claims.
BFF sources raw materials from Morocco’s Atlantic fisheries through a vertically integrated structure that includes company-operated trawlers, canneries and processing facilities. Moroccan regulations require comprehensive reporting across the supply chain, including catch declarations, processing yields and transformation data, forming the basis of the company’s traceability framework.
“This regulatory framework is the foundation of our traceability — it is not a voluntary add-on but a legal obligation that structures the entire value chain,” emphasises Mediouni. The company is also finalising Marine Trust certification to further validate its responsible sourcing practices.
Morocco’s fisheries management system incorporates biological rest periods and rotating zone closures designed to protect fish populations during reproductive cycles and reduce pressure on individual fishing areas. Certain zones are periodically closed for several months, while others remain protected for longer-term stock recovery.
This management strategy aims to maintain long-term sustainability of species such as sardine and mackerel, both widely used within marine ingredient production.
Certification and supplier confidence
For petfood manufacturers, supplier qualification increasingly depends on internationally recognised process and quality standards.
BFF identifies GMP+ certification as particularly important for petfood customers seeking assurance around manufacturing controls, traceability and documentation. The certification covers areas ranging from raw material intake to finished product dispatch and is widely recognised across feed and petfood supply chains.
While Marine Trust certification is often more closely associated with aquafeed sourcing requirements, it still contributes to broader transparency and responsible sourcing narratives increasingly valued across companion animal nutrition markets.
As the premium petfood sector continues to expand, marine hydrolysates are likely to play a growing role in formulations targeting digestibility, functionality and sustainability. Suppliers capable of combining nutritional performance with traceable sourcing and efficient resource utilisation may be well positioned to support the next phase of growth in specialised pet nutrition.
