Imagine taking the leftovers from seafood processing and seaweed harvests and using them as 'food' for tiny microbes. These microbes eat the waste and grow into a rich protein powder. It's like turning old scraps into a high-quality protein shake for humans, animals, or even skincare creams.
The EU relies heavily on imported proteins, while massive amounts of marine biowaste are discarded. This creates both a supply chain vulnerability and an environmental waste problem.
A microbial biorefinery process that converts marine waste into protein extracts and non-protein bio-compounds. Deliverables include 12 total prototypes across food, feed, and pharma sectors.
If you are a food manufacturer dealing with high import costs for protein sources — this project developed 5 high-quality protein extracts that reduce reliance on imports and use sustainable marine waste.
If you are a feed producer dealing with unstable raw material prices — this project developed 5 feed prototypes based on microbial biomass that offer a sustainable and nutritious alternative to traditional soy or fishmeal.
If you are a cosmetic company dealing with a need for sustainable active ingredients — this project developed 3 non-food prototypes and 7 non-protein ingredients like lipids and polyphenols recovered from waste.
The project aims to demonstrate a biorefinery that reduces production periods and costs for proteins by using under-exploited marine biowaste as a substrate.
Yes, the project focuses on demonstrating a technically and economically viable bio-refinery for microbial-based protein production.
Based on available project data, the project will deliver 6 sets of production guidelines and various prototypes, though specific patent details are not listed.
The project runs from September 2023 to August 2027, meaning results and prototypes will be finalized by late 2027.
It uses a zero-waste approach to upcycle over 30 types of marine biowaste, including invertebrate and macroalgae discards.
The consortium is highly market-oriented with an industry ratio of 45%, comprising 11 partners across 5 countries. With 5 industrial partners (including 4 SMEs), the project is well-positioned to bridge the gap between academic research and commercial application, ensuring that the 30+ formulations meet actual market requirements.
Contact Universidad de Vigo in Spain for technical specifications on the biorefinery.
Contact us to match with the PROMISEANG consortium for licensing their protein extraction guidelines.
