Some fruit seeds, like apricots and cherries, contain a natural poison that makes them unsafe to eat. This technology acts like a filter that removes those toxins, making the seeds safe for humans. It turns what was once trash into a high-quality protein powder for food products.
Thousands of tons of protein-rich fruit seeds are thrown away because they contain toxic cyanogenic glycosides. This creates a waste problem for the fruit industry and a missed opportunity for the plant-based protein market.
An industrial-scale cyanide extraction process that detoxifies oilseeds and fruit seeds, producing a food-safe protein powder.
If you are a producer dealing with the high cost and instability of imported protein sources — this project developed a detoxification process that turns 100,000 tons of wasted EU stone fruit pits into a sustainable protein powder.
If you are a processing plant dealing with thousands of tons of seed waste that must be disposed of — this project developed a way to upcycle these seeds into a sellable raw material for the food industry.
If you are a supplier dealing with the pressure to meet ESG and green deal goals — this project developed a technology to unlock nutritional value from previously unusable oilseeds and fruit seeds.
The core cyanide extraction technology was developed at a lab scale and is currently patent pending.
Yes, the EIC grant is specifically used to move the technology from lab scale to industrial scale, aiming for TRL8.
Based on available project data, specific pricing or cost-per-ton figures are not provided.
The technology allows for the creation of a new supply chain based in Austria, utilizing European resources to reduce dependence on imports.
The project period runs from 2023-03-01 to 2025-05-31, targeting the achievement of TRL8 by the end of this period.
The project is led by a single Austrian SME, Kern Tec GmbH, which holds 100% of the industry ratio. This lean structure suggests a focused commercial drive to move a patent-pending lab technology into a full-scale industrial operation.
Contact Kern Tec GmbH in Austria
Contact us to explore licensing or partnership opportunities for cyanide-free plant proteins.
