Imagine taking the watery waste from cheese making and using it to grow healthy fats for fish feed. Then, take chicken feathers and fish bones and turn them into luxury skin creams or garden fertilizer. It is like a giant recycling loop where farm waste feeds the ocean, and ocean waste feeds the land.
Intensive livestock and fish farming create massive amounts of organic waste while simultaneously depleting natural resources for feed and cosmetic ingredients.
A series of biotechnological processes to convert cheese whey, fish scales, fish bones, and chicken feathers into PUFAs, polypeptides, and phosphorus fertilizers.
If you are a feed manufacturer dealing with the high cost and environmental impact of overfishing for Omega-3s — this project developed a fermentation process using cheese whey to produce PUFAs that replace fish-oil ingredients.
If you are a cosmetics company dealing with the need for sustainable, bio-based proteins — this project developed a way to extract polypeptides from chicken feathers and fish scales for use in skin and hair products.
If you are a fertilizer producer dealing with the demand for sustainable phosphorus sources — this project developed a thermochemical process to turn fish bones and organic residues into phosphorus-rich fertilizers.
Based on available project data, specific cost figures are not provided, but the project includes an assessment of economic sustainability to determine viability.
The project involves 10 industrial partners and tests in relevant environments to evaluate the feasibility of industrial uptake and new business development.
Based on available project data, the project evaluates compliance with regulations and standards to identify opportunities for industrial initiatives, though specific licensing terms are not listed.
The project specifically evaluates compliance with standards and regulations to ensure the safety and quality of the developed PUFAs, polypeptides, and fertilizers.
The system uses existing waste streams like cheese whey and chicken feathers as raw materials, creating a circular link between terrestrial and marine production.
The consortium is heavily weighted toward commercial application, with a 62% industry ratio consisting of 10 companies, including 6 SMEs. This strong industrial presence, combined with 4 universities and 2 research centers across 10 countries, suggests a high focus on market viability and practical implementation rather than purely theoretical research.
Contact the University of Bologna (ALMA MATER STUDIORUM)
Contact us to connect with the ONE EARTH consortium for licensing bio-based waste conversion technologies.
