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Bark to beauty: forest byproducts for cosmetics, food, and chemicals 
CategoriesSustainable News

Bark to beauty: forest byproducts for cosmetics, food, and chemicals 

By Zarkon Group,
Bark to beauty: forest byproducts for cosmetics, food, and chemicals 

Spotted: One part of the UN FAO’s (Food and Agricultural Organization) forestry programme is the “conservation and sustainable use of forests to enhance forest-based livelihoods.” In this spirit, Finnish materials technology company Montinutra has created a chemical-free extraction process for valorising forestry waste.

Using Pressurised Hot Water Extraction (PHWE), the company transforms forest industry side streams into valuable new ingredients for the cosmetics, food and beverage, and chemical industries. Sawdust and bark are two of the most common waste products in the forestry, and with Montinutra’s inexpensive, efficient extraction process, businesses can turn a byproduct with little value into a new income stream. 

The bioactive compounds that come from wood waste are highly valuable ingredients. When they are used in place of petrochemical-based materials, manufacturers reduce production emissions while improving the health of their products. In cosmetics, for instance, wood sugars provide emulsifying, SPF-boosting, and antioxidant qualities, and the ingredients can be used in industrial applications as binders, coatings, and fillers.  

The extraction process works with many different types of feedstock, and the machinery and hardware are modular, transportable, and use closed-loop water circulation and energy recovery. That makes it easy for lumberyards and other forestry businesses to integrate a new system into existing infrastructure while improving the overall sustainability of their operations. The minimal amount of material left over after extraction can then be used for biofuel. 

Montinutra’s pilot plant in Turku, Finland, proved the viability of the technology, and the company is now in the planning stages for its expansion to industrial-scale manufacturing capabilities by 2026. Following recent funding, the company hopes to quicken its international expansion and is also looking to soon rebrand as ‘Boreal Bioproducts’.

In Springwise’s database, other innovations centred on upcycling sawdust include using the material for 3D printing and building new beehives that help the insects survive winters.

Written By: Keely Khoury

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Extracting umami flavour from plant-based by-products
CategoriesSustainable News

Extracting umami flavour from plant-based by-products

By Zarkon Group,
Extracting umami flavour from plant-based by-products

Spotted: It is no secret that a vegan diet is better for the planet. In fact, if the world went vegan tomorrow, greenhouse gas emissions would be cut by up to two-thirds. People are often put off by a vegan diet, though, for its lack of umami: one of the core tastes that usually corresponds with meaty flavours. This is why the Finnish food technology startup The Nordic Umami Company has developed sustainable umami flavours from circular ingredients, hoping to speed the transition to a fully sustainable food system.  

To generate momentum towards delicious, upcycled food, the Nordic Umami Company has uncovered a ground-breaking way to extract umami flavour from plant-based products that would otherwise be wasted. The company now hopes to scale its fermentation-based technology into an industrial-sized pilot plant while expanding its impact with new creations.  The company’s umami products include bouillons, sauces, and salts.

The startup’s CIO and co-founder Reetta Kivelä explains that “we found the original idea for natural umami through a real-life problem. We realised that the options for bringing umami to plant foods were limited. All alternatives had health, naturality, or sustainability challenges. However, vegan food must also have the fifth basic flavour, umami.” 

In December 2022, the young company raised €1.8 million in a seed funding round led by the Nordic Food Tech VC.  

Springwise has previously spotted other innovations that aim to widen vegan choices, including a gut-friendly vegan cereal startup and a startup that hopes to put upcycled fish alternatives on the menu by 2023. 

Written By: Georgia King

Reference

Upcycling food by-products into plant-based fish
CategoriesSustainable News

Upcycling food by-products into plant-based fish

By Zarkon Group,
Upcycling food by-products into plant-based fish

Spotted: Aggressive and unsustainable farming methods, greenhouse gas emissions, and loss of biodiversity. These are some of the negative impacts associated with the seafood industry. In response, the global plant-based fish market is projected to reach a valuation of $1.3 billion (around €1.2 billion) by 2031. 

Against this backdrop, UK-based food-tech company Better Nature has secured a £350,000 (around €410,000) grant to develop plant-based fish made from food by-products. The company aims for the new range of sustainable seafood products to be nutritious, delicious, and environmentally friendly.

The grant, which comes from the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK, will enable Better Nature to build on the company’s proprietary fermentation methods, which are inspired by tempeh – a protein-rich plant-based food originating in Indonesia. This traditional Indonesian delicacy is made by fermenting soybeans.

The new fish alternative will be low in fat and cholesterol, but high in protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Better Nature’s products are not only good for health – they also have a positive impact on the environment. Traditional seafood farming is often damaging to ecosystems, but Better Nature’s products are produced in a way that minimises environmental impact. In addition, their products are completely free from antibiotics and other chemicals often used in conventional seafood farming.

The project aims to have upcycled vegan fish on the table by 2026.

Recent years have seen a revolution in plant-based food. Springwise has recently spotted a protein-rich food additive made from duckweed, animal-free proteins and preservatives, and alternative fats produced through fermentation.

Written By: Katrina Lane

23rd June 2022

Website: betternaturetempeh.co

Contact: betternaturetempeh.co/contact

Reference

Upcycling barley byproducts into high-protein flour
CategoriesSustainable News

Upcycling barley byproducts into high-protein flour

By Zarkon Group,
Upcycling barley byproducts into high-protein flour

Spotted: Seoul-based food upcycling startup RE:Harvest has created a new flour alternative made from upcycled barley from the production of beer and sikhye – a traditional sweet Korean beverage. So far, the company has raised ₩200,000,000 (around €150,753) in seed funding from Sopoong and SparkLabs Accelerator.

RE:Harvest says that its powder is not only more sustainable than traditional flour, but that it also has a higher protein content. The company is currently working on scaling up its production so that it can meet the demand from both domestic and international customers – as well as expanding their byproduct sourcing.

The company believes that it is a ‘perfect fit’ for food and beverage firms looking for options to hit the Korean government’s 2050 net-zero carbon emission goal. The new flour is produced through a patented process which upcycles these byproducts into a high-protein, low-carbohydrate powder. RE:Harvest says that one kilogramme of their flour can save up to 1.1 kilogrammes of carbon dioxide emissions, and that the flour can be used in a variety of baked goods and other products such as pasta and pizza dough.

The company is currently liaising with six major breweries in South Korea—including brewing giant Oriental Brewery—who will supply barely byproducts to them at no cost. Conversations are also being carried out in Indonesia with Heineken subsidiary Bintang.

Other sustainable food alternatives recently spotted by Springwise include alternative fats produced through fermentation, a replacement for vegetable oil made, an environmentally sustainable alternative to egg whites.

Written By: Katrina Lane

14th April 2022

Email: info@reharvest.net

Website: reharvest.net

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