AFTER five years, the University of the Philippines Visayas received this week its first patent for the invention of Methods and Composition of Microalgae Paste.

The product was manufactured by Algacon Aquafeeds Manufacturing, an aquaculture enterprise.

It was invented by Soledad Garibay, a university researcher at the Institute of Aquaculture, and retired UPV professor Leticia Ami.

“Garibay has been studying microalgae for decades. As an aquaculturist she knows the value of the microalgae as the primary feed for aquaculture commodities such as milkfish, shrimp, crab and shellfish in their early larval developmental stages,” UPV said.

“Microalgae are unicellular photosynthetic microorganisms that thrive in fresh, brackish or marine environments. The technology she came up with, the microalgae paste, is the research output of a DOST-PCAARRD funded project implemented from 2013-2016, 2016-2018,” it added.

Introduced as “JUAN Algae,” the school said the microalgae paste is now in the market and currently being used by the aquaculture industry particularly in hatcheries.

“The use of Algal Paste has paved the way for the long overdue industry problem of culture collapse encountered in hatcheries during adverse weather conditions when ration of microalgae as feed becomes insufficient,” it said.