Project number: 1992-125.11
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $26,000.00
Principal Investigator: Craig Davis
Organisation: Department of Agriculture and Fisheries EcoScience Precinct
Project start/end date: 29 Jun 1994 - 22 Jul 1997
Contact:
FRDC

Objectives

1. To develop a method for producing powdered shark cartilage on a pilot commercial scale.
2. To develop relevant tastes to assure product quality
3. To undertake market trials on quality assured pilot scale product
4. To determine the production costs of a full scale production

Final report

Author: Craig Davis
Final Report • 2017-09-29 • 2.46 MB
1992-125.22-DLD.pdf

Summary

This project was undertaken in collaboration with Pacific Export Services Queensland Pty Ltd and had the primary objective of developing a powdered shark cartilage product on a pilot commercial scale for the domestic and export markets. The investigations undertaken in this project required several discrete development steps: sourcing of the raw material, removal of excess flesh from the backbone, development of the drying, milling and packaging protocols, establishment of suitable quality manufacturing and testing procedures, and identification of the markets and market requirements. Considerable time and effort was committed to the development of the appropriate techniques and equipment necessary for the production of a quality powdered shark cartilage product. The procedure which is currently employed for shark cartilage powder manufacture involves a heat-pump drying process and a sequence of milling steps. The final product must maintain a low moisture content and produce a fine (<40µm) powder. Additionally, considerable expertise was developed in the handling of the powdered product, and in the further value-adding of the powder into encapsulated and tableted products. Although this project has concluded, the author has a keen interest in the product and in the potential for alternative uses of the shark cartilage. These uses include: treatments of various inflammatory ailments (e.g. arthritis), extraction of collagen or gelatin for the food or pharmaceutical industries, and extraction of chondroitin sulfate for use in corneal transportation media. This project has developed ideas also in the area of total utilisation of the shark, which includes such areas as leather, meat, offal and fin. The project has successfully developed a method for the manufacture of a fine white powder derived from the backbone of the shark. The commercial partner is very satisfied with the results and is keen to continue the development of the process and improvement of the product. Sales of the product in the domestic and international arenas have surpassed expectations.

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