BY-PRODUCTS
Competition between humans and animals for grains is increasing and global food security is at risk. It is now critical to consider the development of new ingredients and non-conventional feedstuffs through technology.
How it works
During the food and beverage manufacturing process various residues are generated.
The by-products include:
- Brewery waste (bulk beer, spent grain, yeast)
- Dairy by-product (whey concentrate, milk permeate, curd and milk sludge)
- Grain processing by-product (pea pollard)
- Fruit and vegetable by-product (peelings, stems, seeds, shells, bran, trimmings residues)
- Winery by-product (grape marc, stalks and seeds)
- Oats waste (bran, flakes, flour, middlings)
- Rice waste (bran, flour)
- Seafood by-product (skins, bones, oils, and blood)
- Meat by-product
- Molasses
Unique challenges for food and beverage manufacturers include issues relating to:
- Environmental obligation
- Regulatory compliance
- Brand reputation
- Space optimisation
- Manufacturing bottlenecks
- Mess, odour and vermin
GrainOut addresses these problems faced by food and beverage manufacturers through tailored solutions with a sustainability and value driven focus.
Food and beverage by-products can be considered a valuable product stream and their utilisation can be optimised to achieve solid environmental and commercial outcomes. By managing the by-products, food and beverage manufacturers can also shape the story of their product stewardship, lifecycle analytics and circular economics.
Typical disposal routes such as landfill for solid wastes and disposal via sewage for liquid wastes are unsustainable, potentially harmful for the brand, and less cost effective.
Technology holds the key to the transformation of by-products into value added materials
Valorisation and transformation
Adding value to agricultural by-products
Agro by-products result primarily from agricultural production and harvesting, and then secondarily as a result of subsequent food and beverage processing. Plant based industries include oilseed extraction, brewery, malt production, cereal grain milling, and fruit and vegetable processing. Animal based industries include abattoirs, feedlots, rendering plants and poultry processing operations.
Plant based by-products are a key source of macronutrient supply for livestock feed, and also can have applications in biofuels as well as being inputs into further agro-production. Animal based by-products used as protein sources in feedstuffs are highly controlled and generally forbidden.
Origins of residuals
- Fruit and vegetable processing industry
- Crop waste and residue
- By-products from sugar, starch and confectionary industry
- By-products from distilleries and breweries
- By-products from grain and legume milling industry
- Edible oil industry
Food processing waste is comprised of complex organic molecules containing proteins, lipids, carbohydrate polymers like starch, cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin, and organic acids. Technologies both simple and sophisticated are utilised to add value.
There are several technologies that can be used to process industrial food by-products, depending on the specific by-product and the desired end use.
Technologies and treatments
Drying: This involves removing moisture from the by-product, which can help to extend its shelf life and reduce the risk of spoilage. Various drying methods can be used, including air drying, drum drying, spray drying, and freeze drying.
Grinding/Milling: By-products can be ground or milled into smaller particles to create a more consistent product that is easier to handle and transport. This can also make the by-product more suitable for certain applications, such as animal feed.
Fermentation: This involves using microorganisms to break down the by-product and create new products. For example, fermentation can be used to produce ethanol from corn by-products.
Extraction: Certain components of industrial food by-products can be extracted for use in other products. For example, oils can be extracted from soybean by-products and used in cooking or as a feed ingredient.
Hydrolysis: This involves breaking down larger molecules into smaller ones using water. Hydrolysis can be used to create products like amino acids from animal by-products.
Chemical processing: Some industrial food by-products can be processed using chemicals to create new products. For example, cellulose from sugarcane bagasse can be treated with sulfuric acid to create a product used in the production of paper and other products.
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