On 15 January 2026, Karmic’s Chief Science Officer, Dr. Pedram Dehdari, joined industry experts for a webinar hosted by Undercurrent News, exploring how the shrimp industry can unlock new value from processing by-products.
The discussion followed the publication of 100% Shrimp: Full Utilisation, a report commissioned by the Global Shrimp Forum Foundation. As shrimp producers face tighter margins and continued pressure on profitability, the report examines an important opportunity: making better use of the resources the industry already produces.
From by-products to valuable resources
Shrimp heads and shells account for a substantial proportion of the biomass entering processing facilities. Much of this material is discarded or converted into low-value products, despite its potential for higher-value applications.
Authored by Melanie Siggs in collaboration with Kontali and technical advisors, the report explores how these by-products could become valuable inputs for food, feed, nutraceuticals and other industries.
The webinar brought together Melanie Siggs, Willem van der Pijl of the Global Shrimp Forum Foundation, Juan Carlos Javier of Grupo Granjas Marinas, and Dr. Pedram Dehdari of Ensymm and Karmic. The discussion was moderated by Dan Gibson of Undercurrent News.
For Karmic, the subject is closely aligned with our mission: transforming underutilised resources into solutions that reduce food-system losses. By converting shrimp-shell by-products into chitosan, we’re working to create new value from materials that would otherwise go to waste.
Watch the discussion
Read the report: 100% Shrimp: Full Utilisation — Global Shrimp Forum Foundation
Watch the full webinar: Improving margins and sustainability of farmed shrimp supply chains — Undercurrent News