Efficient Optimization of Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Antarctic Krill via Parallel Bayesian Optimization

Antarctic kril (Euphausia superba) biomass plays a vital role in the Southern Ocean ecosystem, with significant potential for sustainable fisheries and as a novel food protein source. However, current krill processing methods primarily yield oil supplements for human consumption, with limited utilization of by-products. This paper presents a novel approach to optimize the hydrolysis process of Antarctic krill, aiming to standardize and enhance the production of high-value end products for the human market. By combining lab-scale experiments with parallel Bayesian optimization, the optimal reaction conditions for krill hydrolysis are efficiently determined. The focus is on achieving fully solubilized krill protein fractions and enzymatically cleaned krill shells for chitin extraction. The proposed approach is validated through simulated and true experiments, demonstrating its effectiveness in identifying the optimal enzyme combination.